


The Lies of a Spy

by readwriteandavengers



Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, M/M, Teacher!Bruce, Teacher!Steve, Teacher!Thor, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-26
Updated: 2013-11-10
Packaged: 2017-11-19 13:54:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 35,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readwriteandavengers/pseuds/readwriteandavengers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anthony Stark has been in a tragic accident, leaving his parents dead. He is now the only living Stark. Obadiah, now his godfather, decides Tony needs to learn how to protect himself, being all alone in the world. Tony quickly discovers that his godfather is the head of an agency that specializes in retrieving information and eliminating the 'bad guys.' Tony wants the life of a spy, especially since he's only seventeen. Two years later after extensive training, he is sent on his first mission. He is to go under as a High School student. He is soon wrapped into the drama of being a spy and may be in love with his History teacher.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Pain of Losing Everything.

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my lovely story that I've written after having a year of writer's-block! Forgive me for future mistakes. Thanks for reading!

Tony felt his eyes become light. He had the urge to open them but was hit with another wave of exhaustion. He moved to roll on his side when his entire body screamed in pain. He clenched his teeth together, breathing heavily through his nose. He refused to show any weakness to the injuries. If anything, Anthony Stark believed he deserved to feel this pain.

Obadiah Stane stood over the younger man, hands deep in his pockets and his head hung. He didn’t want to watch the teenager in pain. He was only seventeen with the brain of a genius. Obadiah expected his godson to have the smarts of his father. 

“Tony,” Obadiah said smoothly. Frightening the boy was the last thing he wanted.

Tony let one eye fly open, his lips pursed. Tony couldn’t see through the water welling up in his eyes but knew that it was Obadiah. He didn’t say anything but he knew Obadiah would understand.

“I’m not going to ask you if you’re okay, because I know you’re not.” Obadiah took slow, deliberate steps closer to Tony’s side. He took a seat in the rough chair that was there. 

There was a pause and Tony only wanted him to continue. He wished he could move more easily. If he could, Tony would have been out of the hospital by now.

“This isn’t easy to say…” Obadiah started. Tony already knew about his parents death in the accident. He was the one that pulled their lifeless bodies out of the wreckage. “I’m going to be your guardian now.” Obadiah continued, wringing his hands out in his lap.

Tony watched him with both eyes now, assessing him. The teenager knew he had more to get off his chest.

“I have this business. I suppose that’s what you could call it. They… protect certain people. They have expert training and are the best in this nation. I want you to train with them, to learn how to protect yourself when you need to.”

Tony had so many questions running through his mind but couldn’t find his voice to talk. The water had spilled out the corner of his eye now and drained down the side of his face. Embarrassedly, Tony looked away and kept his eyes trained on the ceiling.

Obadiah stood, glancing around him as if he expected someone to jump out and scold him for telling Tony that. He patted the mattress, careful not to touch Tony. “Someone will be coming to get you tonight. Be prepared.”

/

Tony remained motionless in his bed since Obadiah had left. He still wasn’t sure what the bald man meant. After the sun fell, Tony was on edge, waiting for a stranger to walk into his room and tell him they needed to leave. This didn’t happen until one in the morning.

“Get up, Stark.” One of the clothed men ordered. He was in a full black suit, a gun strapped to each thigh. Their faces were covered, only their eyes showing. Tony wasn’t sure why but he felt slightly pulled toward them.

Tony still couldn’t talk but was working his muscles throughout the day. He sat up, hissing as he did so. Carefully, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, putting full support on his right. When the last nurse had left, Tony slipped into a pair of jeans that Obadiah had left behind.

Each man supported Tony, one putting an arm under his armpit and hanging it around his shoulders and the other putting one around his waist. They made their way past the nurse who was supposed to be keeping watch. She was asleep in her chair, snoring softly. Tony didn’t bother asking if that was their doing. They rode the elevator and exited into a parking garage minutes later.

/

Tony now sat in an office that looked much like a small library. Each wall had shelves and shelves of books. On the desk rested two glasses and a bottle of scotch. Tony thought to himself that it looked like it was ripped out of a gangster movie.

The door behind him closed but Tony didn’t bother turning around. He wanted to come off as professional. He kept this thought in mind as his eyes strayed up to the man’s face. Tony didn’t expect to see a familiar bald head.

“Obi?” Tony said incredulously, finally finding his voice.

“You look much better, Tony. I’m glad.” Obadiah took a seat in his padded leather chair. He smiled crookedly, slightly menacing.

Tony sat back, not saying a word. Obadiah would have to explain.

“Well,” Obadiah sat back also, placing has hands behind his head. “Anthony Stark, this is my ‘business.’ Those men that retrieved you are two of my greatest agents.”

“Agents?” Tony added, slowly dawning on the idea that Obadiah was the head of a spy agency. “Don’t tell me that this is a spy agency.” Tony laughed slightly, ignoring the ban in his ribs as he did so.

Obadiah shifted his eyes away from Tony, sighing slightly.

“Obadiah,” Tony said warningly. “This can’t be true.”

“But it is, Anthony.” Obadiah responded, scooting forward in his chair. He kept eye contact with his godson, making sure he new that this was the truth. “I think it would be best if Anthony Stark went off the radar for a bit.”

Tony’s mouth fell open slightly, his mind racing. He wasn’t sure what to think about the situation. His whole childhood was spent of him jumping around the house, a toy gun in hand and wishing he could take down villains. Now he actually had a chance to do that…

“I only want to go through with this training if I’m able to do ‘missions.’” Tony wasn’t sure what else to call them. He felt ridiculous saying anything else. He wasn’t even sure what he was walking in to.

Sighing, Obadiah shook his head, mainly to himself. “I didn’t want you to say that, Tony. Having you go out, do these missions, would only put you in more danger than you are now. But, perhaps with a year, possibly two years, of training, you could be one of the best agents I have. I know you’re a determined little shit, Tony. If this is really what you want, then I can’t stop you.”

Tony bit his lip, pondering his next actions. He reached forward, the muscles in his arm burning profoundly. Obadiah stared at his out reached hand, wanting nothing more than to reject it. Instead, he grabbed tightly onto Tony’s and made a wordless agreement.


	2. True Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony finds out what it means to have true friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

A year and a half later, after making the wordless agreement with his guardian, Tony was now properly trained. Tony didn’t care about the little things anymore. No longer did he celebrate birthdays or any kind of holiday. Training, becoming one of the best, was his main priority now. 

Tony had just woken, leaning against one of the counters in his kitchen. He was relaxed, a mug in hand. It was a wonderful morning, although Tony was morning the loss of his facial hair. He didn’t feel like himself when he looked in the mirror and his face was bare. 

Grunting in annoyance, Tony brushed his fingers on his upper lip. It was only gone because Obadiah had told him to shave it for Tony’s first mission. Being new to the field, Tony was too excited to start. 

Obadiah would be in his apartment in a few minutes, briefing Tony about the mission. Tony didn’t have a clue what he was doing but didn’t really care. He just wanted to earn his position in the agency.

/

Tony was now sat in a car, staring angrily outside of the window. His arms were crossed over his chest, a way to show annoyance. He didn’t know the drivers so he didn’t care if he was pouting.

Tony was to go undercover as a high school student. He hated high school with a passion. It was pure hell for him. Now he had to go back. When Tony had said that he didn’t care whatever the hell it was, he lied.

Tony had graduated high school when he had just turned thirteen. It was a waist of intelligence for everyone. If the students would just try hard enough, everyone would be able to excel at an early age.

The car pulled into a long driveway and stopped as soon as the back tires had left the road. Tony took that as his cue to leave, flinging the door open and grabbing his small bag of weapons. Clothing and other necessities were going to already be in the house. 

Tony was impressed with the house. It was large, not as large as the one he lived in before his parents died, but was still very large. The size of it made his loneliness come crashing down on his shoulders. He would have to do something about that.

After getting washed and unpacking the things he took with him, Tony jumped into bed and thought about how his first day of school would go tomorrow. He was joining the year late and didn’t get along well with others that weren’t hired to work around him. Making friends wasn’t going to be easy but then Tony reminded himself that that wasn’t the purpose of him being there. Obadiah hadn’t exactly told him why he was there other than to keep an eye on everyone within the school.

Tony fell asleep with the thoughts of his parents, his past life, and excitement for his job running through his mind. 

/

Tony made it to school a tad bit late. He memorized his schedule the night before so he rushed to his lockers and weaved in between the bodies that were making their way to class. He threw himself in the doorway, making it just before the bell rang. 

The teacher was already talking so Tony through himself in the nearest empty seat. It was in the very back next to a dark-haired boy and a bored looking girl. They each assessed him with as he took a seat, appraising him. They seemed to approve and turned back to the teacher.

The teacher began by telling the class a bit about himself. His name was Mr. Coulson. He seemed like a nice man but strict enough that he would be able to keep his class in check. Tony respected him and decided he wouldn’t have to watch him too much. 

He was still talking when the bell rang. He smiled apologetically at the class and told him he wouldn’t talk as much the next day. Tony was almost out the door when the girl he was sitting next to, the one with the ruby red lip stick, grabbed his shoulder.

“What’s your name?” She questioned, looking over the rim of her glasses at him. Her grip on his shoulder was strong, leaving Tony impressed.

“Anthony Willhold. Call me, Tony.” He smiled slightly, nodding slightly.

Darcy’s smile grew wide too, releasing her tight grip. She patted him on the shoulder and nodded back. “I’m Darcy Lewis. Nice to meet you, Tony.” She grabbed the arm of the dark haired boy she was sitting next to. He was scowling a bit when Tony had walked in but was now grinning like Darcy.

“I’m Loki Laufeyson.” He shook hands with Tony shortly before retracting his hands quickly.

From there on, Tony realized he had nearly every class with one of the two. He didn’t realize until he made it to lunch that he had actually made two friends. That was rare when he was in high school. All the kids held a grudge against him for his grades where these two didn’t know anything about his past.

He’d just got his disgusting lunch and was walking over to an empty table when he heard Darcy’s voice to his left calling out his name. She was patting an empty seat next to her, Loki sat in front of her. Tony smiled and made his way over.

He listened to the two talk and joke around as he tossed his food around. It wasn’t appetizing and would rather not bother eating it. Tony looked up from his mush when the two fell silent. Darcy was smiling wickedly while Loki had his head hung, blushing.

“Aw, shit. I missed it. Why’s he blushing?” Tony found himself asking.

Darcy laughed and nodded to her right. Tony’s eyes landed on a group of teachers making their way into the teachers lounge. 

“I don’t get it.” Tony admitted, turning back to them with a confused look..

“Did you see the tall blond one?” Darcy asked, biting into a burger.

Tony nodded, recalling two blond males. “The one with the long hair or short hair?”

Darcy wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand before she responded around a bite of her burger. “The long hair. His name is Mr. Odinson and Loki has the biggest crush on him.”

Tony’s eyes widened comically and he cracked a smile. “No way.”

Darcy nodded, laughing at Tony’s look. “Yes way! Loki is a sly dog.”

“What does he teach?” Tony asked, grabbing a cookie that Darcy handed him from her own lunch. Tony resisted the urge to groan out at how good the treat was. Darcy’s cookies were officially the best, hands down.

Darcy clapped at his response and muttered a thank you but answered his question. “Mr. Odinson is the English teacher. He’s from England.”

Tony wiggled his eyebrows, munching on the cookie. “Does Loki have a thing for Europeans?”

Loki blushed deeper, placing his head in his hands. “You guys are going to embarrass me to death.”

“That’s what friends are for!” Darcy exclaimed, throwing an arm around Tony’s shoulders, biting into another cookie.

Tony grinned widely, feeling warmth spread through his chest. He never knew what it was like to have an actual true friend. He had a friend when he was in kindergarten to second grade. Her name was Virginia Potts. Tony called her Pepper. He was heartbroken when she moved away.

This school was much different then the one he attended in New York.

Tony immediately thought of getting information from them to understand the school a little better. Perhaps he could figure out why Obadiah wanted him there in the first place. Wiping his hands off on his pants, he built the courage to ask them over. He made sure to let them know that there wouldn’t be any parents to watch over them. They instantly agreed.

/

Tony continued on with his classes, making mental notes of all the teachers. They were all nice, and very young, but they appeared to all be dating within the system. He had one teacher for history and then again for his art class. That teachers name was Mr. Rogers. Tony would admit that he was very handsome. 

He thoroughly enjoyed his science class with Mr. Banner. That man was a thrill to listen to. He actually knew what he was talking about and Tony didn’t have to correct him like he had with many others in the past. That got him dirty looks and some punches to the jaw from other students.

His last class was gym, something he didn’t mind but definitely didn’t enjoy. His class was quite large with nearly forty students. He was ecstatic when he found out that Loki and Darcy were in the class with him. 

After those classes he was finished with the day and was driving Darcy and Loki home. His car was nothing special but better than those of other students. If he wanted to he could have had any special sports car but knew that he needed to fit in.

Darcy had turned the radio on and her and Loki were singing along to some rock song that Tony didn’t bother learning the name of. When he pulled up the driveway, their singing stopped and their mouths fell slightly open. 

“My house,” Tony said sheepishly as he climbed out of the car. The two followed eagerly, ready to have a tour through Tony’s home.

/

Tony had introduced them to the house and went along almost every room with the exception of the armory and the empty spare rooms. They enjoyed the game room the most. That’s where they stayed and chatted with a few bowls of snacks.

“So, tell me some gossip about students, teachers. Anybody.” Tony suggested, popping a chip into his mouth.

Darcy’s eyes lit up and she brushed her hands off on her jeans and chewed viscously at the sweet. “Okay, starting with the teachers for sure.”

They all sat in the middle of the room, switching to lie on their stomachs. Loki watched Darcy began her gossip, getting that determined face she wears.

“I can tell there’s a lot of dating within the system.” Tony responded, hoping Darcy would start with that.

She was hooked. “There is! Mr. Rogers has a thing with Ms. Carter. Then there’s Mr. Odinson and Ms. Foster. There’s Mr. Banner and Ms. Ross and a few more that I’m too lazy to list. Damn it, I wish I would have brought my yearbook so I could have showed you all the kids in our school…” 

“We still have time. Tony could drive us over to my house. It’s not too far from here if you’re that interested.” Loki suggested, shrugging his shoulders.

Tony jumped on that chance and hurried out the door with them. Loki was telling the truth. The place wasn’t very far at all, just a few streets away from Tony’s house. They retrieved the yearbook and then Tony took them back to his place. They ran into the house giggling and having fun just like normal teenagers should. Something pulled at Tony’s heart when he realized that he would never have that.

“Tony! Get over here!” Darcy exclaimed. She and Loki were on the ground like previously, except they were pressed tight together to look at the book together. They were laughing and pointing at people Tony didn’t know.

They started with their grade first, the seniors. Tony enjoyed laughing at the pictures of them all with goofy smiles or being caught off guard. The two told him that this was last years yearbook so it was even funnier when he ran across their pictures. Darcy looked pissed, her lip curled up in a growl at the cameraman. Loki had crossed his eyes right when the man had took the picture and ran away before they could retake it.

Tony had a long laughing fit after that, holding onto his stomach in pain. 

After they finished looking at the yearbook it was nearly seven o’clock. Tony didn’t want to be the one to stop the party early but told them that he didn’t want their parents to worry. He drove them home with a promise that they’re welcomed at his house anytime.

The ride back was silent. He didn’t want any music on. Tony only wanted his thoughts and the tightening in his chest as he once again realized just how lonely he was. He was home quicker than he expected. 

He went to bed, excited to spend his day with his friends at school.


	3. The Beginning of an Interesting Relationship

The day sped by. Tony was already in history, listening to his attractive teacher ramble on about the most historic deaths. He started with those furthest in the past and then jumped right to the most recent. 

He was shocked to hear the last one.

“Howard and Maria Stark.” The teacher looked at the ground sadly, crossing his arms across his chest.

Tony froze, wanting to hear what else he had to say. He could see Darcy stare at him out of the corner of her eye but he didn’t care. The last time he ever heard anyone mention his parents was the day of their death. He stayed away from anyone that wasn’t involved in Obadiah’s agency and that didn’t have to do with his training.

“Does anyone know who these people are?” Mr. Rogers asked, eyes scanning across the students. Tony isn’t sure if Mr. Rogers’ eyes actually stray on him for longer than necessary or if he imagined it.

No students raised their hands.

“Anyone?” Mr. Rogers asked again.

This time a hand was raised.

“Virginia?” Mr. Rogers said in approval, a tone of relief in his tone.

Tony’s eyes shot over to the female called, only once again to be shocked speechless. There sat his childhood friend, Pepper Potts. He opened his mouth, prepared to call out to her when he stopped himself. They weren’t children anymore, and things were different. 

Two people were seated next to her, making the trio appear distant from the rest. One was male and the other female. The female with Pepper had a deep red hair color and a permanent scowl on her face. The boy with her had a matching scowl and a tense position about him.

Tony would have to check into them.

“Howard Stark was the main weapons producer. Maria was his wife. The two were involved in a crash about two years ago. They were with their son Anthony Stark who was recovered from the crash. He pulled their bodies from the wreckage.” Pepper had to pause, getting choked up about it. This wouldn’t have been detected by the class other than Tony and possibly her two friends. 

Mr. Rogers nodded. A notion to tell her to continue.

Pepper cleared her throat and didn’t miss a beat at finishing. “The two had died that night, in the crash, while their son survived. He was taken to the hospital that night and has been out of the spotlight since.”

Mr. Rogers sent her a mind-numbing smile and a curt nod. “Very good, Virginia. I really didn’t expect anyone to know that much about the Starks. May I ask how you know?”

Pepper shrugged, keeping her shining blue eyes on her desk. “I was close to the family.” She muttered, face going stolid.

“Alright, well tomorrow you will all choose a person I’ve spoken about today. After you have chosen you’ll write a five page essay…” Mr. Rogers' voices fell upon deaf ears.

Tony found it odd to be hearing about his parents from someone else, to hear how fondly she spoke of them. The memories were brought back in a large wave that swept strongly over Tony. He was nauseated and wanted to go home. 

Tony remained silent for the rest of the class. The bell rung and he jumped out of his seat, eager to escape that hell. He and Darcy were nearly out the door when he bumped directly into Pepper.

“Sorry,” they apologized simultaneously, sending apologetic smiles in the others direction. Once their eyes met everything seemed to stop. Tony’s breath hitched and Pepper’s mouth seemed to fall open.

She tried to say something but Tony had dragged Darcy out of the room before he realized what he was doing.

Darcy looked at him in confusion, eyes scrunching up and mouth pursed. Tony only knew her for about two days but he already memorized most of her expressions. His training had taught him to do so. It was only natural for him. He couldn’t be surprised by any human actions.

“Tony, you okay?” Darcy questioned, watching her friend with concern. 

Tony nodded and pursed his lips, sending a small smile in her direction. “I’m fine! Yeah… I’m fine.” He dived into the men’s locker room, making sure to wave to Darcy before he disappeared. Hopefully Darcy wouldn’t notice his empty eyes with the half-hearted smile.

/

The day had gone relatively slow, making Tony want to rip his eyes out. After that experience with Pepper, he wanted nothing more than to go home and reminisce about his parents. 

Tony hadn’t gotten along perfectly with his parents. Fights between Howard and Tony were common, but that didn’t mean he hated his father. He loved his father dearly and would give anything to have him back. Tony did wish that his father would have peeled himself away from his work to do things with his son. He tried his best not to hold a grudge about that.

He gathered his food onto his tray and followed behind Darcy to the table. Loki walked behind him, purposefully stepping on the back of his heels.

“Loki,” Tony said warningly, turning around to send a glare in his direction.

Loki only chuckled, moving closer to Tony. Loki opened his mouth, finally at Tony’s side when there was suddenly a large figure standing in front of them. They came to a halt, nearly crashing into the brute.

“Hey, boys.” The large figure said, cracking his knuckles. Tony and Loki both shared a look before watching the football player with annoyance.

“Yes?” They said in unison, prepared for whatever was going to happen. Tony knew that there was bullying at the school. He had heard it talked about all the time in the hallways. He had yet to see it in action. Looks like Tony would be lucky enough to be involved.

“You two look like you need a beating.” The boy sneered, seemingly unhappy with his statement. “Faggots.” He added, smiling to himself, feeling like he completed that properly.

Darcy stood behind, watching carefully. Her expression was growing angrier and angrier by the second. Her mouth had twitched when he uttered the word ‘faggots.’ 

Rolling his eyes, Tony’s lips quirked up and Loki’s hips cocked to the side. “What do you have in mind?” Tony responded to the nameless jock.

The jock laughed, his head falling back and a hand coming up to rest on his protruding stomach. “Do I smell confidence? I might have to take that down. A lot.” His voice rumbled out across the cafeteria, gaining the stares of those around them.

Loki scoffed at that but seemed on edge near Tony’s side. He couldn’t blame the student. The jock held no threat in Tony’s mind but was probably quite frightening in Loki’s mind.

“So far all these threats have been empty.” Tony responded, setting his tray down on the table near him. He kept his eyes on the jock as he grabbed the plastic bowl of mashed potatoes, chunky gravy poured on top.

The jock’s jaw surged forward at that as he clenched his teeth. His hand shot out and fisted in the front of Tony’s shirt, pulling him close. He breathed heavily out of his nostrils, the free hand in a tight fist at his side. “Listen here you little bitch. I’ll be sure to follow up on all of those threats starting right now-”

Tony didn’t let him finish his sentence. The mashed potatoes had been brought up and smashed directly in his face. When Tony had done that, the lunchroom had turned silent with the exception of some gasps. That didn’t stop him from rubbing the mashed potatoes further into his face.

“That should help you get rid of that smell of confidence.” Loki said besides Tony. His hands were fisted also, prepared for what was going to happen next. 

The bowl slowly fell from the boy’s face. He let go of Tony’s shirt brusquely, pushing him slightly to scrape the potato out of the crevices of his face. He flicked it off his fingers, eyes flinging open to land angrily on Loki and then Tony. 

And then his fist was flying through the air, aimed directly for Tony’s face. Much to the jock’s dislike, Tony caught the fist in his left hand. 

The majority of the lunchroom gasped at that, some had cheered. Darcy had laughed when she realized what had happened. She watched closely as Tony’s hand tightened around the jock’s and his right hand come up and connected with his jaw. One of the jock’s friends had decided to join, pushing Tony down to the ground. 

The one covered in potatoes stood, staring Loki down. “C’mon, Laufeyson! You scared?” The jock hurried to Loki, giving him a punch across the jaw. He was quick to recover, giving to blows to the kids face. 

Tony, meanwhile, had the other jock pinned to the ground, his face pushed against the cold floor. He was calling out things to help Loki and before anyone knew it, the jock fell to the ground with a bloody nose, clearly giving up. Loki had taken a few good punches, bruises already forming on his pale skin.

The silence in the lunchroom had only lasted a few seconds, although it seemed to stretch out forever. Students had all burst out in catcalls, jumping up and down. Some clapped, some watched in awe, their mouths hanging open, some glared angrily at Loki and Tony.

“You four,” a large, dark-skinned man with an eye patch stood over them. His arms were crossed and his eyes narrowed dangerously at them. The boys shared a look of panic and gulped, not ready for the trouble. Their principal was making his way back to his office, expecting the four students to follow.

Tony hopped off the boy and stood by Loki’s side. Blood gushed down one of the boy’s noses as he helped the other up. They limped dramatically behind the principal. Tony and Loki followed quickly, sharing another look. The corners of their mouths quirking up as they help back their laughs.

/

Tony and Loki were then introduced to Mr. Fury, the new principal of the high school. Tony was highly suspicious of this man. Who would hire a guy with an eye patch? He looked like a convicted felon.

Loki was unaffected by this, listening to the consequences. The two were to attend detention with two teachers present for two weeks. They were not to be in the same room as the two they fought in case the teachers would have to leave the room for a second. Fury made it clear that he expected no more fighting and if there was then they would be suspended from school premises. 

The jocks were dismissed first, sending their most threatening look at the boys they could muster. Loki and Tony glared back, resisting the urge to stick out their tongues.

Fury then nodded, a signal for the boys to get the hell out of his office. He watched Tony carefully, checking every move he made before he exited this office.

Fury’s scrutinizing look didn’t go unnoticed by Tony.

/

After that Darcy couldn’t stop laughing and continued to say she wished her brain would have kicked in so that she could have fought too. Tony only told her that the fight was satisfying but not worth the detention. They had to start that night, too. So she left them in the hallway.

Tony leaned against Loki’s locker, assessing the hallway and any escape routes.

“Did Fury ever say who the teachers were?” Loki asked, closing his locker. Tony kicked off the wall and walked beside Loki to the designated room.

“Nope.” Tony responded, still distracted with the construction of the school. He had to become more familiar with it, learn every hidden corner.

“We’ll probably get stuck with one of the janitors.” Loki groaned as he slipped into the designated classroom. He didn’t make eye contact with the two who stood in the front, neither did Tony. They didn’t care who they were with, as long as they left the room as much as possible. 

The two troublemakers took their seats in the front of the class. They kept their heads bowed and waited for the teachers to speak. Tony wasn’t there to be scolded anymore than he already was. He was only there to do the time he owed. 

“Gentleman,”

Tony’s eyes flitted over to meet with Loki’s before they both turned to look up at the teacher. Stood in front of them were Mr. Odinson and Mr. Rogers. The boys shared a look again, Loki’s jaw hanging slightly open. Certainly, they were not expecting the hottest teachers in their school to be watching over them all detention. Tony had been sure that Fury would have given someone disgusting.

“Something wrong?” Mr. Rogers asked, noticing their fleeting glances with one another. He was leaning against the desk within the room, arms crossed over his broad chest. He looked bored and quite annoyed.

The boys quickly shook their heads and stared at the floor. Tony hoped Mr. Rogers wouldn’t notice his small smile that he couldn’t seem to get rid of.

Mr. Rogers sighed, seemingly confused with teenagers these days but pushed it off. “Look, this is going to be a long two hours. We’re not going to be asses and say you can’t talk to one another. Feel free.”

Mr. Odinson stood next to the teacher, nodding to his words. “I am interested though, if you don’t mind me asking. How did the fight start?”

The teachers had slipped into relaxed positions now. Mr. Rogers was sitting in one of the cushioned chairs. Mr. Odinson had pulled up a spare, sitting down and pushing himself off so that he would crash into Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers shook his head, lifting his foot and kicking Mr. Odinson’s chair away, chuckling deeply as he did so.

“They were being dumb.” Tony said lamely, shrugging with a pout on his lips. He felt childish but that didn’t matter. They asked so he would tell them what he thought.

“What were they saying?” Mr. Rogers asked as his face scrunched in interest. His arms were crossed over his chest. Mr. Odinson teasingly copied the position, gaining a punch from Mr. Rogers in return.

“They were calling us fags. So I thought it’d be funny to let them know how it felt to get their asses kicked by one.” Loki mumbled, shrugging mainly to himself. The words left his mouth before he could stop them. He was only out to Darcy yet, but now his teachers knew. Possibly it wasn’t the best time to come out. He trusted Tony, but the teachers were a different story

Both of the teachers arms fell to their sides and their mouths hung slightly open. The recomposed themselves quickly, although Loki could tell Tony was staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Loki felt heat rise in his cheeks as Mr. Rogers cleared his throat and Mr. Odinson turned his chair towards the window.

There was an awkward silence until Mr. Rogers rose to his feet, moving forward to pat Loki on the shoulder. “We’ll be headed over to the football practice now.” Mr. Odinson gathered his things behind the teacher, walking up to his side the hand Mr. Rogers his bag. He mumbled a thank you to the teacher before slinging it around his shoulder. “You guys are more than welcome to join. But if you don’t want you, you can just do whatever you need to in here.”

Tony and Loki nodded, mumbling their goodbye’s as the teachers exited the room. Once the door was shut, Tony was bounding out of his chair, grabbing his backpack and seating himself at Mr. Rogers’ desk.

Loki looked at him questioningly, thoughts running through his mind why he was smiling so widely. 

“We’ve got somewhere to be after this!” Tony exclaimed, clapping excitedly as he waited for the computer to boot up. He tore his backpack open, throwing a pair of clothing at Loki. He set a pair of identical clothes on the desk. “So get dressed!” Tony explained when Loki gave him a confused look. 

Loki’s eyes widened and he nodded, standing up to shed off his jeans and shirt. He turned around when a startled noise left Tony’s throat, finding the boy in the same position as he. He was standing in his socks and underwear, holding out a pair of black slacks when the computer had finally turned on. Tony had set the pants down and slid over to the computer, typing furiously on the keyboard.

“What are you doing?” Loki asked, walking over with his clothes in hand. He placed them next to Tony’s, watching as the boy’s fingers pounded the keys. Loki couldn’t take his eye away, mystified with how fast things were running across the screen. His clothes were forgotten. Both boys had focused on the screen, relaxed and actually enjoying detention when the door behind them swung open.

Slowly, Tony and Loki spun around, eyes widening in horror. 

“Boys, care to explain?” Mr. Rogers stood in the doorway, face contorted and a blush making its way across his nose. Tony would admit that it was quite adorable. Mr. Odinson was stood behind him, eyes wide and a look of anger in his eyes. Tony would have to look into that later…

Tony was fast on his feet, ready to explain why they were almost naked. “We have a formal occasion to attend after detention. We had to switch clothes.” Tony grabbed onto his pile of clothing, holding it up for the teachers.

Mr. Rogers entered the room further, Mr. Odinson closing the door behind him. “We won’t be going to football practice. Fury wanted us to stay with you two through your punishment.”

Tony could see Loki’s face heat at the sound of Mr. Odinson uttering the word punishment. He had to roll his eyes at that, a crooked smile gracing his features.

Mr. Rogers took his chair back, sitting next to Tony. He took over the computer, eyeing the student carefully. His eyes roamed Tony’s body, from head to toe. Tony thought it was just an extremely fit man sizing up his student for intimidation. If Loki was asked, he would have said that Mr. Rogers was checking his student out. His eyes flitted over to Mr. Odinson, green eyes meeting blue. He looked away suddenly, awkwardly, a blush returning.

“How did you get on my computer?” Mr. Rogers questioned, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It was no secret that he wasn’t the best at figuring out technology, he was always compared to an old man that always needed help with deciphering electronics.

Tony placed his hands on his hips, seeming to forget the fact that he was standing in nothing but his tight boxer-briefs in front of his history teacher. He smiled proudly and placed a hand on Mr. Rogers’ shoulder. He patted it at first and then gave it a tight squeeze. “Technology is my strong suite. I can teach you anything you need to know.” Tony had made that sound too much like an offer. Loki could watch the decision cross Mr. Rogers’ face.

“Okay,” Mr. Rogers responded, nodding to himself and then more confidently. He was desperate for help and he wouldn’t be afraid to get it from a student only a few years younger then him.

Tony’s smile was wiped away. His hand had froze on Mr. Rogers’ shoulder. His dark eyes flitted down to meet his teacher’s sincere blue ones. Tony could basically smell the innocence emanating off of the blond. Then a smile formed its way onto the history teacher’s face, making Tony’s heart skip a beat. His mouth became dry, his vocal chords wouldn’t work. Tony was speechless for the first time in his life. “Oh… so, then just make me a schedule when you want to do this.” Tony said slowly, not sure how else to treat the situation.

Loki took a step back, only to bump into a freezing desk. He gasped as the cold surface was pressed against his back, a little shriek soon followed and he launched forward, clutching tightly to his clothes. “It’s freezing in here!” Loki immediately complained when he realized all eyes were on him. He sighed angrily, tossing the clothes on the desk and finally getting dressed.

Tony watched as Loki stepped into his pants, removing his hand from Mr. Rogers’ shoulder slowly. He cleared his throat and realized just how cold it truly was. A shiver racked through his body. He grabbed his white button up shirt, sliding his arms into it but didn’t bother buttoning it. His eyes canned the website before closing out of it and shutting down the computer. 

When he looked back up, Loki was fully dressed, shirt hanging half out of the slacks and half in. He had the bowtie around his neck but was staring at it as he tried to think of ways to tie the damn thing. He looked at Tony for help, pouting his lips.

Laughing, Tony held up a finger as he grabbed his slacks and stepped into them. He busied himself with buttoning up the dress pants when he heard Mr. Odinson speak up.

“I can teach you how to do that!” He said excitedly, taking two large steps to his raven-haired student. He brushed Loki’s thin fingers off of the bowtie, replacing them with his own lean, tan fingers. He mumbled the instructions under his breath, tucking and tying the black cloth to make a perfect bow. Once he was finished he stepped back to look at his work. He gave Loki a thumbs up. “You look magnificent!” 

Tony could tell the words left the teacher’s lips before he could stop them. Tony could hear a sigh from Mr. Rogers behind him. He turned around to gauge the reaction. Mr. Rogers had a hand pressed against his forehead, eyes shut slightly. When he realized Tony was staring he took his hand off and straightened up. He smiled slightly and turned his attention back to his friend.

“You look very nice, Loki. I hope you two have a good night.” Mr. Rogers flicked his wrist to reveal a shining silver watch. 

They still had an hour and a half to go. So far, the detention was highly eventful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Loki make it to the party, yet something is off. Loki seems to know more than either of them expected...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

Tony and Loki were outside the door the moment the clock struck five. They mumbled their goodbyes to the teachers before bolting out. Tony strided down the hallway elegantly, fixing his cufflinks as he continued on. Loki hurried behind him, obviously feeling out of place. He still wasn't informed on what the night entailed.

"Look," Tony began as they stepped into his vehicle. He made a mental note to change the car at his house first, this high-school beater wasn't going to do. ""You don't have to go if you don't want to but it's just an event that I have to make an appearance for my parents." Tony explained the best he could. He never was sure how describe these situations. They sounded crazy and unrealistic. He began chiding himself, wondering if he was putting his friend in danger.

"Well," Loki chuckled, looking outside the window, "I'm dressed now. I might as well come along."

Tony held off a sigh. He wished he wouldn't have thought of this. Perhaps he would lose Loki and then it'd be all his fault. How could he explain a thing like that? He was being irresponsible and idiotic. In training it was made clear that you only bring along those who know what they're doing. The only difference was that they said it was for his benefit because having someone along would only slow you down and get in your way of getting things done. Tony always felt like that could be worded differently.

He pulled into the driveway, increasing spead as he pulled into the large garage. Loki had grown silent, not sure how to react to all the vehicle's. Never the less, he followed closely on Tony's heels as they entered a new sports vehicle. He chose his Nova, quickly pulling out of the driveway and back onto the road, quite recklessly. He needed to get to the party quickly or he'd miss everything he needed to obtain.

"Just stick close to me, all right? These people... they're vultures. You'll be torn apart in seconds. They'll pick the meat right off of your bones..." Tony grimaced as the thought of all the rich, selfish bastards he would have to deal with tonight. Another wave of guilt washed over him when Loki spoke up.

"Tony, why didn't you tell us about the cars? What's going on here?" Loki didn't sound scrutinizing or judging, he sounded curious and concerned.

"I just didn't want your first impression of me to be a spoiled rich kid that's trying to show off." Tony winced at how quickly he responded. He spoke from experience and Loki had to have picked up on that.

Loki grinned in the passenger seat. "I'm just happy you didn't think Darcy and I would try and use you."

Tony snickered at that. "You guys are seriously the nicest people I know. I don't think that thought would ever cross my mind." Tony turned to the side, giving Loki a crooked smile. He pressed harder on the gas peddle. His childish side was coming out, Loki was with him, and they were in one of his favorite cars. Why not have a little fun?

 

-

"Thor, you ready?" Steve adjusted his black, sleek jacket. He tried not to think about Tony, his nearly naked student. The fact that he was changing into such elegant clothing made it even better. He shuddered as he thought that Tony undressing would have been much better to see. He sighed, hating that such raunchy thoughts were coming to mind. He was a man undercover for SHIELD with a mission. He had to focus on the problem at hand, and having strange feelings toward Tony wasn't the problem.

Thor walked around the corner, straigheing his bow tie. He nodded, beaming. His pearly whites would have seemed intimidating if Steve didn't know him since they were teenagers. "Ready as can be."

Seeing the bow tie reminded Steve of Loki. "Do you have eyes for that Lauyefson?"

Thor reddened, something that was extremely rare. Thor was never embarrassed by much. He accepted clumsy moments and brushed everything off as a part of life. This just worried Steve more. "Thor..."

Thor was quick to defend himself, stuttering out excuses. "He looks much older! He's mature as well. I don't feel terribly guilty for my feelings. He's almost out of high school and it's not like I'm his actualy teacher. We were thrown into these jobs to complete a mission. Techincally, these students we see every day are not ours."

Steve sighed, fidgeting with his cufflinks. He slowly nodded, a weight seemingly lifted off his chest. "Yeah, you're right. Okay, let's get going."

 

-

Tony plastered on a fake smile as he entered the building. He always wore put up a great façade when doing missions like this. He knew how to act like cocky and quite enjoyed being able to sass everyone around. Loki stood next to him, hands in his pockets, looking gravely out at the crowd of people. Tony glanced around, making sure no one was aware of them before grabbing Loki by the elbow. He towed the boy to the right, into a hallway. They continued on until they found a perfect corner to hide in.

"Loki, you have to act a little more... proud. You have to let these people know that you're better then them and you'll be accepted immediately." Tony smirked, swatting Loki on the chest. "Won't be too hard. You're way better then these guys. So c'mon, act bitchy. I know you have it in you."

Loki rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth quirking up. "That's going to be way easier then you'd think." He cleared his throat as he rearranged his emotions. Tony suddenly wondered if the boy was mad at him when he reminded himself Loki was just acting bitchy like he asked. Damn, Loki was good.

"Perfect," Tony held in his emotions, winking at Loki before heading back out towards the hallway. Once they were back in front of the crowd, Tony leaned over. "I forgot to say, if there's anyone here that you get a funny feeling about, let me know. If you feel like you're in danger, then hit that person. Everyone here has enough money for surgery."

Loki gave his friend a confusing look but quickly agreed.

A person passed by with champagne placed delicately on top of a silver plate. Tony reached out, grabbing two of the fragile glasses and handed one to Loki. They walked on through the large mansion, nodding at a few people and sharing some greetings with others. Tony seemed to be leading them somewhere, he was looking for something. Loki continued on, taking a sip of the sparkling liquid. The reached the upstairs, rounding a corner. The second they were out of sight, Tony took their glasses and placed them in the large pot of a plant. He hid the glasses with fallen leaves. He pulled Loki around by the collar of his shirt so they could hide behind th large leafed plant.

"Watch my back. Follow closely. Observe everything. Don't get lost." Tony said sternly. He let go brusquely and walked down the hallway, hands at his sides. He looked left and right, forwards and backwards. Nothing seemed to catch his eye. Loki did as he was told, making sure that no one was behind them. He even looked up at the ceiling just for good measure. There was nothing.

Tony stopped at the end of the hallway, turning around so that he could face Loki. He worked at his cufflinks, the action quickly becoming a nervous habit. Loki could tell he was confused by the way his eyebrows were close together and his mouth was pulled tight. His nose also seemed to scrunch up as he thought. Loki praised himself at his observing. He was really good at this stuff...

The door to his left opened, a man flying out. He was throwing punches but Loki quickly dodged. The next fist that came flying at him he caught in his hand. His leg flew out, hitting the back of the man's knee. He fell hard to the ground, a loud crack sounding. The boy kept his leg pressed down on the attacker's leg, keeping him pinned. Loki didn't stop. He couldn't figure out what it was... he felt like he was trained to do this. He lifted his leg forcefully hitting the man in the jaw. The attacker was dazed, no longer thinking right. His limbs went slack. Loki had gotten the desired effect.

He glanced up to check if Tony was still there, if he had run or if he had been attacked himself. Instead, Tony stood there, looking impressed. There was only a hint of shock and confusion but mainly the boy was absolutely impressed. "Holy shit, Loki. Damn good job. Did you take karate classes or something?" Tony bent down to search the attacker's jacket. He pulled out a wallet and began searching. He didn't find anything satisfying. His hand came out, hitting the man on his cranium. The man was immediately knocked out.

Music began playing down in the ballroom. Loki was going to chuckle at the odd choice. It sounded like it belonged in a club but there was definitely a classical style thrown in. Before he could comment, a thunderous noise started on the other side of the. Loki watched as Tony began pulling at his bow tie right as the door flung open. There were at least seven men headed to the defend the room. Tony wrapped the thin cloth around one of the man's throat, pulling hard enough that it sent the man flailing for air.

"Go!" Tony demanded. He pulled the cloth away just in time. The man fell to the carpeted floor, twitching as he gasped in air. Loki began to run in the direction of the steps, making sure that Tony was following.

Loki stopped dead in his sprint, allowing Tony to run past him. He pushed over the large plant, satisfied when the medium sized tree nearly covered the entire hallway. He twisted around, sprinting once again. Tony stood there, ready to tell Loki to hurry up when he was captured by the elbow. Loki towed him down the marble staircase. The second they reached the bottom, Tony took lead. He weaved through the crowd, successfully blending in.

"Where are we headed?" Loki asked once they escaped out of the throng of people.

Tony said nothing, just hurrying to the kitchen. They were still running, dodging those who were collecting plates of food. The temperature was hotter, covering them in a sheen of sweat. The pushed passed the metal door and out into a garden.

They paused, taking a chance to breathe in the fresh oxygen. Tony gave Loki only but a second before pulling him in a different direction. The moment they bursted into a run the door behind them was thrown open.

"Get them!"

Tony picked up a large ceramic sculpture off of the ground. He twisted around with the object at arms lenght, hitting a man across the head. He fell to the ground, head bloody. He was lucky the sculpture happened to be hollow.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

Loki and Tony's gaze never left their assailants. One man's leg kicked out, trying to knock Tony off his feet. He jumped just in time, landing on the ground gracefully. Loki paid no further attentino to Tony's fighting as he had a problem himself. A man was coming up fast, stopping as Loki dropped to the ground, slidding between his open stance. He sprang up, punching the man right as he turned around confused.

Loki's hand was then grabbed by Tony. He was being towed once again, this time in the direction of the vehicle.

-

Thor and Steve stood to the side, the thin wine glasses held gingerly in between their thick fingers. They looked out of place as they stood at the edge of the garden. There were four girls off to the side, all married, that were giggling and whispering about the two of them. The girls, who were supposed to be classy, sophisticated, women, were acting like a group of school girls. Steve sighed, resisting the urge to bang his head off of the ground.

"This has been the most uneventful party we've every been to." Thor commented, looking out at the winding maze that was in front of them. He promised himself to never go venturing in one of those before. Mazes were a challenge that he had no time to bother with.

Steve agreed by nodding his head. A muted bang sounded behind him. He turned around to check, notcing two men flinging themselves out of the kitchen. His eyebrows jumped further up on his forehead as he watched interestedly. The two bent over to catch their breath for a moment before one tried to pull the other away. Steve could see others were coming out of the kitchen angrily. Before he could realize what was happening, the group was fighting. There were about five guys against two. Within seconds, two men were knocked to the ground, leaving the other three in a jumbled mess. They hadn't even seen the two run off in the other direction. 

"Thor, do you see what I see?"

Thor turned around, just in time to see the couple who were attacked disappear. The group of aggressors tried their best to help their friends back to their feet. 

Thor hummed. "That's quite odd. We'll mention it to Fury. I'm sure he'll have the video survallince that Widow and Hawkeye set up within seconds."

"You don't think we have to worry about it?"

Thor shook his head. "Nothing to look into there. They probably just did something to get kicked out."

Steve shrugged, taking a swig of his drink.


	5. Flirtation is Dangerous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fury gives out demands.

Tony and Loki had gone through the next school day without telling Darcy a word. Tony would have loved to tell her but made it very clear that not a word could be spoken about it. Loki hadn't spoken about it all day until the final bell rang. They were standing next to Loki's locker together, gathering his things before they would head off to detention. Darcy had gone after she teased them about their bruises from their fight. Tony would always glimpse at Loki when a statement about the marks were brought up, not sure whether most of them came from the high school fight or from the party.

"Ready for another two hours?" Loki groaned, dragging his backpack behind him. Tony had to snicker at that.

"No." Tony responded, shaking his head. His backpack was heavy on his shoulders, a sharp corner of a binder sticking into his backside. "I'm sure we'll find a way to make it fun."

They were a few feet away from the classroom. By the looks of things the door was still locked shut. Tony wouldn't mind waiting out in the halls until their supervisor came along. He could always use his spare time to do something useful.

Loki sighed as he jingled the knob, confirming Tony's thoughts. He leaned against the door, letting his head bang against the wood.

Tony was going to comment when Mr. Banner walked around the corner.

"Do you boys need in this room?" He held his briefcase in one hand, a key in the other. His eyebrows were high on his forehead, waiting for an answer. Tony would have to admit that Mr. Banner was the kind of teacher that everyone had fantasies about.

"Uh, yes please." Tony tried his best not roll his eyes at himself. He didn't need to make this moment sound like a fantasy. Besides, if he was going to fantasize about anyone, his first choice would have to be Mr. Rogers. But no one had to know that...

Mr. Banner grinned as he slipped in between the boys, sliding the key directly into the hole. Tony had to admit that that was good aim. Perhaps it was an odd thing to notice but he couldn't get a key to fit perfectly in it's keyhole without a few tries.

"Thanks, Mr. Banner." Loki chimed in, sliding into the room. He set his stuff off to the side, standing next to Tony in the doorway. Mr. Banner didn't appear to be leaving.

"What are you boys here for?" Mr. Banner pressed slid a finger up the bridge of his nose to push his glasses up further. His shirt was wrinkled and sticking out in the back. Both Tony and Loki wanted nothing more than to straighten the poor teacher out. They were sure it would be classified under as 'inappropriate.'

"We have detention." Tony responded, putting on a saddened expression. Truthfully, it wasn't that much of a bother for him. The school was the place he was supposed to survey so he was just getting extra hours on his job.

Mr. Banner's eyes narrowed as he appeared to be thinking. "Detention..." he mumbled to himself. He suddenly jumped, snapping his fingers. His bottom lip quivered as he tried his hardest not to grin at remembering. "I'm supposed to watch you for a bit." He walked further into the room, setting his stuff on Mr. Rogers' desk. He sat back in the worn leather chair, propping his feet up to get comfortable.

Tony and Loki shared a suspicious look. Loki sat down as Tony shut the door slowly behind him.

"For a bit?" That part stuck out the strongest to Tony. He had to question it.

"Yeah," Mr. Banner ran a hand through his already shaggy hair, a book already out on his lap. His glasses had fallen halfway down his nose, making him look like a wise librarian. "Steve and Thor have football practice right now." Mr. Banner glimpsed at Tony, motioning with his head to tell the student to sit. He checked his watch then before returning to his book.

"Right..." Loki trailed off, placing his feet on the side of Tony's chair.

As if noticing something for the first time, Mr. Banner looked up from his novel. He cocked his head to the side as he inspected his students. "Where'd those bruises come from?"

"The fight we had yesterday." Loki had ended up making his statement sound like a question. He was just confused as to where Mr. Banner was going with his questions. Almost everyone had known about the fight, Mr. Banner had to have been told by the other teachers. It was important gossip.

"Tony, you walked away without a black eye and Loki your lip wasn't bruised or split but it is today." Mr. Banner responded, leaning forward in his chair. He clearly wanted an explanation.

Tony would have joked off the observation any other time but the serious look on his teacher's face made him think otherwise.

"You didn't hear it from us but a meet up around back may have happened. Just some closure." Tony knew that giving a specific answer was always better. Mr. Banner would be the type that would jump to all different causes. Perhaps abuse at home, underground fighting or whatever else the man could think of.

Mr. Banner frowned at the two, his way of scolding. He turned back to his book, zoning out completely.

The boys quickly joined their desks together. They finished their homework within twenty minutes, leaving them with nothing else to do but whisper quietly.

"Tony, I never got to ask you about last night. I was left with a lot of questions."

Tony nodded, wondering how long Loki had been awake thinking about the events. "The owners of that house had written us an apology. I had immediately called them up and told them about the attacks. Turns out their security thought we were a threat." He glanced out the window, keeping his eyes on the pale green glass that swayed with the breeze.

Loki remained quiet, trying to think that over. It was hard to believe, even Tony knew that but there was nothing else that made sense. He tried to go into more detail. "You know how I put those glasses in the plant? Yeah, they thought I was hiding something in there. Sorry about the trouble." He sent Loki an apologetic smile.

Slowly, Loki nodded, accepting the excuse into his mind. "Right. Yeah, okay. It wasn't any trouble." He grinned at his friend, checking over his shoulder to make sure Mr. Banner was still engrossed in his novel. "I had some fun to be honest. Not every day do I get invited to a party."

"What are you boys doing?" Mr. Banner had set his book down, now looking at them curiously.

"Just talking, Mr. Banner." They said simultaneously.

"About schoolwork, correct?" He smiled slyly at them over his glasses. He checked his watch, shaking his head with a sigh. "I must go a little early. I trust you boys to behave yourselves. When Steve and Thor - I mean Mr. Rogers and Mr. Odinson - return, tell them that I just left."

Tony nodded, smiling friendly at his favorite teacher. "Sure, no problem Mr. Banner."

Mr. Banner returned the smile, stepping next to the boys to shake their hands. "Thank you, boys. I'll see you two tomorrow. Have a good night!" He rushed out the door, flustered.

Loki immediately checked the clock. They still had thirty minutes left until they would be supervised. He took his musical device out, turning on a good tune. He let it play softly through the room, knowing that volume wasn't important. Tony whipped out his phone, checking to see if he had any messages. Still no word from the agency. He began to wonder if he was forgotten. Loki was checking his phone too, claiming that Darcy was sending him crazy messages.

"Darcy says she's trying to do her homework but she can't stop thinking about Ms. Foster." He snickered, pressing away at his screen to respond.

Tony snorted at that, surprised to find out that Darcy too fantasized about her teacher. He didn't realize that these thoughts were that common with other students. He couldn't blame a single one. This school happened to have attractive employees.

"She just said that she's going to watch Coyote Ugly. She expects us to know the dances by Monday." Loki rolled his eyes, quick to add. "I can't dance."

Tony sputtered at that, eyes widening sarcastically. "I honestly wouldn't have guessed. But now you must learn!"

Loki shook his head, mortified. "No! I don't know how to dance nor do I want to!"

Tony hummed to the song. "Tell Darcy she's going to be impressed because I learned the dances. I learned it over the summer with an old friend." Tony knew that was a fib. He had learned all sorts of dancing when he had trained. A person would think that dancing wouldn't need to be focused on but truthfully; dancing was common in all situations. Tony was glad that they had been ordered to work together with his 'friend.' She was insightful, always teaching herself things from small video clips. Tony shared his knowledge of ballroom dancing with her while she shared her knowledge of clubbing. He had to learn how to act in a club, at a bar, at a sophisticated party, an underground get together. There were endless amounts of scenarios but he remembered that the agent he was with recommended watching a few films. Together, they widened their capabilities and suffered embarrassment together.

"She says she doesn't believe you. She wants proof."

Tony shrugged. "Let’s do it right now." He pointed at Loki's phone as he got to his feet. "Turn on the song Devil Went Down To Georgia." Tony spun around, staring out at the room. Luckily, Mr. Rogers kept a lot of odd things. Up on the shelf was a cowboy hat that would fit perfectly. Tony felt absolutely ridiculous that he was doing such a thing but pushed it off as having fun. He set the hat on top of his head, smiling wickedly at Loki. The song was beginning and Loki had his camera pointed at Tony. Tony jumped on Mr. Rogers' desk as a second thought, hooking his thumbs in his pockets.

He paused, motioning for Loki to set the camera down. Loki shook his head behind the camera, lifting his middle finger. Tony sighed, jumping down from the desk. He pried the phone out between Loki's hands and propped it up on a desk. He pushed Loki up on the desk and began the dance. He grinned as Loki looked down at his feet, stunned. Tony continued on, grabbing hold of Loki's waist to help him. Loki almost had a hold of it but lost himself in Tony's fast footwork. They chuckled when Tony finished, giving thumbs up to the camera. Loki quickly sent the video to Darcy.

He had just put the hat back in its place when the door opened. Their teachers walked in, hair a mess, smelling quite strong, and sweat soaked into the front of their shirts. Loki and Tony grimaced as they took their seats.

Steve placed his elbows on the armrests of the chair, shrugging to himself. “Detention is dismissed.” With that, the two teachers gathered their things and were out the door before either of the students could react.

Loki glared after them, scoffing. “What the hell?” He all but growled as he picked up his backpack and slung it around his shoulder.

Tony beamed at the news of detention dismissed. He was practically bouncing with excitement. He was confused as to why Loki would be upset over such a wonderful coincidence!

The two left the building walking in step when they heard shuffling down their right. Both looked down the lengthy hallway, ready for another attack. That fact remained unsaid between them because there was only a student on the ground. Loki moved to continue walking but Tony stayed still. The boy that was sat in the hallway, trying to force his things into his backpack, was the one that spent a lot of time with Pepper.

“Hey, do you want a ride?” He needed more information so he thought it’d be worth a try to and socialize.

The boy’s head slowly lifted as his eyes met Tony’s frame. His lazy gaze trailed over Tony’s fit body, clearly sizing him up. Suddenly, Tony was aware that this boy wasn’t intimidated by much and Tony definitely wasn’t a threat. Tony began to wonder if the boy was expecting some insults thrown by the way he tensed up.

“Uh…” the boy looked down the hallway. Leisurely, he hoisted himself up to his feet, his eyes still on the opposite end. A second later, he was spinning on his heel to face Tony. He slung his backpack over his left shoulder, beaming. “I’d love one.”

Tony grinned, overjoyed that the man was truthfully friendly. He was worried that he’d have to deal with an awkward, reserved teenager. “Cool. What’s your name?”

“Clint. I’m Clint.” The boy – Clint – jogged down the hallway to meet Tony. His hand was thrust out, a clear invitation. Tony, not one to be shy, took the hand and shook strongly.

“Nice to meet you, Clint. I’m Tony.” Loki waited by the doors, holding one open for the two to walk out of. The two made sure to thank him.

Loki squinted in the orange sunlight, his eyes gleaming warmly. “I’m Loki.” He held a hand up to cover his eyes.

Clint nodded in greeting, taking Loki’s hand like he did Tony’s. “Clint.”

Tony stood at the driver’s side door while the other two waited patiently at the other end. Tony cocked his head to the side as he thought. “Clint, I know I offered you a ride home, and don’t feel like you have to agree, but would you want to go eat with Loki and me before we drop you off?”

Clint’s eyes lit up at the idea, smiling crookedly at the friendly stranger. “I’d love to go.”

Tony couldn’t help but bounce back on his feet, exhilaration thrumming through his body. “Great!” He made sure to unlock the car so as not to prolong the moment any more than needed. Loki climbed into the backseat, allowing Clint to take the passenger side.

They went to Tony’s favorite local café, drinking special coffees and odd sandwiches. They chatted and laughed, creating quite a ruckus in such small business.

-

Fury placed his hands on the table in front of him, bending slightly so that he could scan his eye across those sitting in front of him. His agents looked back at him seriously, sitting forward and alert, waiting patiently for his words. He narrowed his eye, realizing someone was missing.

“Where the hell is Barton?” He looked behind him to stare at the door, anticipating the boy to come barging through.

Natasha shrugged, the one to answer all the questions pertaining towards her friend. “He was in the hallway gathering his things, last time I saw.”

Fury sighed, resisting the urge to bang his head against the table. He had actually thought this meeting was going to go well, all of the agents were ready, yet one always had to be missing. He pushed it off, knowing well that Barton would be okay in any situation he was stuck in.

“Okay. Moving on. Rogers. Odinson.” Fury turned to his right to stare at his men. The two looked back expectantly, ready for any instructions Fury was about to spit out.

“Have you dismissed the detention?”

The two blonds nodded.

“I have assigned you two to watch those kids for a reason.” He stood up straight, crossing his arms across his chest. The leather coat bunched in the corner of his elbows, making a loud noise. It echoed through the quiet room. “They know something and they are a part of something. Your job is to figure out what.”

Thor resisted the urge to scoff like the rebellious person he was. He was always skeptical when it came to Fury’s orders. He reigned in his attitude, pressing his hands together in front of him. “How are we supposed to get this information from them? Students never tell their teachers anything.”

The corner of Fury’s mouth plucked up, his eye turning glassy on them. “You are correct, Odinson. Students are not going to tell their teachers a thing. But a lover will share their secrets with their other half.”

Thor absorbed his words, trying to decipher what was said. The sentence seemed to sink in and bury itself in his mind. He could almost feel a sting, as if it were an unwanted insect biting him insistently. He laughed, leaning back in his chair. “You must be joking.”

Fury remained silent, not moving.

Thor held back his groan, clenching his hands together tightly instead. “This is wrong.” He glimpsed at Steve, realizing the man was blushing furiously. Steve was very chaste, he always avoided the missions that involved some sort of involvement with another. Thor smirked at that. His friend would end up having more problems with this specific task then he would.

“No, unfortunately I am not.” Fury turned around to circle his chair. He turned his eye back on the boys. “I cannot figure out what they’re hiding. Anthony Willhold’s file is clear as is Loki Laufeyson's. From the outside it seems like they’re regular teenagers, but they’re not. Anthony walks arrogantly, as a spy does. I’ve seen his eyes analyze everything he possibly can. He’s aware of what he’s doing, he’s been trained. Loki has mirrored these actions… but he seems to do things unwillingly, as if he knows he should do it but he’s not sure why he should.”

Steve hadn’t paid any attention to the fact he was now one of his student’s lover. He focused on what his superior was saying, hoping to decode their actions. “Are you saying you believe they’re secret agents?”

Fury paused at that, wondering what he was accusing these boys of being. He nodded after what seemed to be forever. “Yes, I believe they’re involved in another agency.”

Steve sat back in his chair, fingers tapping out a rhythm as he stared off. His eyes showed that he was thinking of every interaction he had had with Tony and Loki. The way his breathing stopped and his lip jutted out from his teeth told Thor that he knew something.

Steve’s mouth fell open slowly, head lifting so his gaze trailed over everyone within the room. Thor could tell words were going to erupt from his mouth any second. “When Thor and I went to that party the other night, we saw these guys fighting…” Steve paused, trying to confirm his words. He didn’t want to bring it up if it wasn’t true because he knew it would only cause problems for his students. “I think Loki and Tony were there.” He glimpsed at Thor, waiting for confirmation.

Thor shrugged. He hadn’t had a good view of those guys that night.

Fury took this information in stride. He made a side not on a scrap piece of paper and then turned back to his agents.

-

Clint sighed, leaning back in the booth after he finished his milkshake with a hint of coffee. He smiled sweet and languid at Loki who was sat next to him. He turned his gaze on Tony, noticing the boy was checking his watch. Tony let out a small sigh quickly after, his head smacking against the wood of the table.

“I really don’t want to go home.” Tony smiled sadly at Clint. A smile that Clint could read all too well. He could see the loneliness in Tony’s eyes, the emptiness. There was a hint of bitterness, something he was avoiding. Clint wouldn’t ask yet. He would wait until their friendship became more profound.

Loki and Clint quickly glanced at one another. “I have nothing to do…” Clint started, stopping as a smile bloomed beautifully on Loki’s face. Loki was nearly beaming as he turned excitedly to Tony. “Me either!”

Tony wiggled his eyebrows deviously. “You up for a night out?” Tony directed the question at Clint.

Clint wasted no time. He scoffed, tilting his head at Tony, eyes glinting dangerously. Tony saw this, eyes widening in excitement. “Let’s do this.”

Tony waved the waitress over, paying for the entire meal. Clint and Loki objected but the boy wasn’t having any of it. Clint felt guilty but he wouldn’t let it get to him. He thanked Tony profusely as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Tony and Loki walked in front of him as he tapped away at the screen. He had to text Nat and let her know he wouldn’t make it to the meeting at all.

_Not going to make it. Hanging with some people. CB_

His phone vibrated seconds later. He sat in the back of Tony’s car this time, listening to Loki and Tony banter in the front.

_What are you up to? NR_

_Enjoying high school. I couldn’t before so I might as well now. CB_

_Aw, my little bird is making friends. Who are the lucky bastards? NR_

_Anthony Willhold and Loki Laufeyson. Nice people. CB_

_Oh, lovely. I have to let Fury know of your amazing timing. We’re talking about them right now. NR_

_What’s to know about these guys? They’re average teenagers. CB_

_There’s nothing average about anyone. Fury seems to think they’re with another agency. NR_

Clint could almost feel his heart freeze over. He couldn’t catch a break. Apparently he just made friends with two spies he would probably end up killing. This night wasn’t going to be as fun as he thought.

_Lovely. This night should be fun. CB_

_Fury wants you to get as much information as you can. No surprise there. Those two will soon be Rogers’ and Odinson’s lovers. CB_

_Oh, that’s rich. If they’re involved in an agency do you really think they’ll fall for that? CB_

_I’m not sure. Every spy needs some love. You’ll be getting some too, it seems. NR_

_What’s that supposed to mean? CB_

_Fury seems to think that if they think you’re a regular student and you have a boyfriend they’ll think they’ll need one too. NR_

_Son of a bitch. Is this payback for missing a meeting? CB_

_In case you’re wondering, the lucky lady is Banner. NR_

_You’ve got to be shitting me. CB_

_Banner isn’t happy. Nothing against you. He says you’re too young. I think he knows you’re a virgin. NR_

_Nat, that was a low blow. You should stop using that against me. CB_

_I’m surprised there isn’t more protesting from your angle. At least try and act like you’re not in love with him. NR_

Clint tried his hardest not to growl at the message. He averted his eyes, trying to calm the fire thrumming in his veins. He took a deep intake of breath through his nostrils, allowing his lungs to fill. He held it for about ten seconds, letting his mind go numb.

_Fuck you, Nat. You ever want to have a good time then come and join us, but right now I don’t care if these two are a part of another agency. I’m going to enjoy this time. CB_

“Hey, Clint.”

Clint’s thumb had been hovering over the message, not sure whether he should send it or not. At the mention of his name, he jumped, managing to send the message. He couldn’t find himself to care. He looked at the one who had called him.

“Yeah, Tony?”

“Any idea where we can go?”

Clint took his time to think. He wasn’t sure whether they’d want to hang out in a secluded area or hang out at a bar. The second he thought of a bar he thought of the one his friend owned. He directed Tony to drive to the bar a few streets away. It was getting dark outside and the night seemed promising. Clint smirked, trying to hold in his childish urges.

Tony pulled into the back, parking next to a beaten up old van. Clint jumped out of the car, leading them to the large black metal door. He had his hand on the doorknob, turning around to face the two.

“Are we going to get carded? I don’t have a fake ID.” Loki looked at Tony, slightly worried. Tony kept his eyes on Clint, waiting for a response.

Clint’s smile grew wild. “Nope. This bar belongs to a friend. We’ll be fine.” He threw the door open, motioning for them to move inside. “Hope you guys like cheap beer.”

Loki and Tony both laughed aloud at that, letting out the tension that was building. “I’m a sucker for cheap beer.” Tony shot back, stepping inside. Loki followed behind, throwing a friendly punch into Clint’s shoulder.

They took their seats at the bar. The dance floor was crowded, most of the tables around them were taken and all the booths were filled. They didn’t mind standing at the bar. Clint bought three beers, shaking hands with the familiar bartender. They knew each other from way back before Clint was in the agency, but that was a secret that needed to be kept under wrap.

Three drinks later, Loki and Clint were headed to the restroom. Tony decided his bladder wasn’t quite ready to be emptied. He sat at the bar alone, finishing off the stale beer. He turned around to glance out at the dancers when a fist came in contact with his jaw. He had no time to recover, being pinned against the bar.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” The stranger growled out.

Tony’s eyes widened as he moved his bottom jaw around, letting it crack back into place. He groaned when his tongue brushed over a sore tooth the man had loosened. “What the hell?” Tony tried to get his arms free.

The man walked closer up to Tony, crowding his vision. His bottom lip stuck out and Tony realized that the man had an under bite. He tried not to laugh at the man’s resemblance to a bulldog. “You been eyin’ up my woman all this time.”

Tony snickered, grinning devilishly as a trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth. He gave the man a disbelieving look. He was going to make a comment on how the man was a sexist asshole but decided not to get himself in any more trouble. “Look, we have a misunderstanding. I wasn’t looking at your lady-” the man’s fist was flying through the air, connecting with the other side of Tony’s face. Tony remained hunched over, squeezing his eyes shut as he let the pain and anger take over.

“You sayin’ my lady isn’t pretty enough to look at?” Tony growled at the man’s stupidity. He was then positive the stupid biker was just looking for a fight and he had no problem giving it to him. Tony straightened up slowly, tongue flicking at the cut on his lip. His foot shot out, kicking the man in between the legs. He doubled over, hands flying to cover his crotch as he let out a wailing noise of pain.

Tony pulled one arm free from the stunned man holding him down. He smacked the man in the temple with his elbow. The man took his arm away from Tony to hold his now aching head. Tony kicked out, knocking the man onto his knees. He was about to punch again when someone had joined in. Tony made a mistake. He never checked to see how many friends the idiot had.

Clint and Loki were making their way out of the restroom, laughing at a joke Loki had made when they stopped. There was a loud crash. Both raced around the corner to see what had made the thunderous noise. Clint had to admit that he was surprised when he saw Tony pinned to the ground, struggling with a man on top of him.

Loki stormed over to help him as Clint checked to see if his friend was going to step in and help. He stood behind the bar, eyes wide and grinning like a mad man. He had a bat in hand, raised and ready but he made no move to help. Clint called out to him. “Hey! Aren’t you going to break this up?”

His friend shook his head, nearly pouting as he motioned to the fight. “Hell no! This is way to good!”

Clint sighed, turning around to see that Tony had gotten the man off of him. By the looks of it, Loki had never made it to his aid. Loki was trapped, fighting off two guys. Clint was surprised to see that both were quite talented in the fighting area. Both were battling men who were twice their weight in muscle.

Clint stopped his gawking to hurry and help. Two hands landed on his shoulder, spinning him around and doing the inevitable. A smack came across his face and then a punch followed immediately. The attack had come too quick. A foot came out, sweeping his feet directly out from underneath him. He landed on his back, something sharp sticking it his back. He paid it no attention as he rolled back on his shoulders and pushed himself up, landing in a crouch position.

His attacker looked rather shocked at his speed. Clint fought back, hitting the man in the stomach in the places he knew were most dangerous. He didn’t do extensive damage, just enough to get the beer-bellied man down (which happened to be only three weak punches).

He spun around, headed back to Tony’s direction when something that felt like brass knuckles hit him across the face. He cradled his face, not looking as he kicked out. He heard the man yell expletives, fists raised in the air. He had no time to strike again, Clint beat him to the punch.

The two he had finished off were on the ground. A broken table between them. He turned to see how Loki and Tony were doing. Tony was breathing heavy and Loki stood off to the corner, both bruised and bleeding. The three all shared a look before cracking into a fit of chuckles. There was no question whether they should leave or not. They used the restroom to wash the blood off of their hands and faces befoe leaving. Clint muttered an angry goodbye to his friend before walking out the back door with Loki and Tony.

“Man, sorry guys. I had no idea there’d happen to be fucked up dumbasses there tonight.” Clint truly felt guilty, but those fighting skills didn’t go unnoticed. He’d have to share the information as always, even though he hated the idea of betraying the two.

Tony and Loki shrugged, both still laughing. “Shit happens.” Tony was smiling, as if he hadn’t just been in a bar fight. “At least I can say I’ve been in a bar fight now.”

Loki agreed, high-fiving his friend.

“Oh, damn.” Tony looked at his watch, realizing it was going on midnight. He didn’t feel comfortable driving after having alcohol. He had a few drinks earlier in his life, especially after his parents died. He had been on the verge of becoming an alcoholic, but he’d controlled himself. Besides, he was feeling a slight buzz. “Does anybody know somebody to come and get us? I don’t want to put us in danger by driving…”

Clint pulled out his phone, sending a quick next to Nat. “Yep, I’ll have someone here in a few seconds.”

He received one creepy sentence back. _You asked for it. NR_

A minute later, a car came pulling into the parking lot. Doors opened and a boisterous group of men climbed out. Clint was the first to realize it was the other agents but kept his mouth kept shut. God damn, he’d almost forgotten about the act they’d have to keep up.

Loki and Tony had realized once the men came closer that they were their teachers. They tried to avoid eye contact, ducking their heads. Clint followed after them, turning his back to the other agents.

“Is that… Tony? Is that you?” The group had gone quiet. Clint could tell that Rogers was the one to speak up.

Tony turned around slowly, plastering a fake smile on his face. He waved shyly, nodding. “Hello, Mr. Rogers. Uh, Mr. Odinson, Mr. Banner.”

Loki and Clint nodded in greeting, letting Tony talk.

“Are you guys okay? What are you doing here?” The three stepped closer, reeling in their pray. Clint tried to avoid eye contact with Banner. Fury always enjoyed making the relationship between the other agents uncomfortable. Clint found himself blushing.

“Oh, yeah.” Tony brushed it off, the heat in his cheeks from the alcohol mixing with a blush over Mr. Rogers in tighter clothing then usual.

Rogers stepped closer, only an inch away from Tony. Clint could hear the agent take in a deep breath and then step back. He was frowning. “You guys have been drinking.”

Clint wanted to yell at him. He hated when other agents had to act in front of him. He just wanted everything to hurry up and get to the point.

Mr. Odinson sighed behind Mr. Rogers. “Steve, we should probably take them home. Make sure they’ll be okay.”

Clint could almost hear him grating his teeth together. Clint laughed under his breath at that. He kept his eyes plastered to the ground when he could see Banner’s head turn in his direction. He felt a slight chill in the air so he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Oh, no, that’s alright.” Tony smiled warmly, shaking his head as he desperately tried to decline the offer.

Rogers frowned, not taking this as an option. “Tony, you can ride with me. I’ll drive you back home. Thor, can you follow us in the car?”

Odinson nodded, taking the keys out of his friend’s hand. “The car looks a little small. Loki and Clint, you can ride with me.”

Loki opened his mouth to protest but everyone began walking towards the vehicles, leaving no room to bicker.

Clint sighed, hands tightening in annoyance. “No, my house is actually right around the corner. I’ll just walk home.”

Banner took a step forward, his part now here. “I’ll walk you home. Here,” he took his jacket off, placing it on Clint’s shoulders as an awkward date would. Clint had to blush at that, not expecting such kindness. He knew it was just Banner doing good at his job but he could have an active imagination.

Tony and Loki said their goodbyes, following their teachers to the separate vehicles. Tony was just about to step into the vehicle when he seemed to remember something. He ran back over to Clint, a marker magically appearing in his hand. He grabbed Clint’s palm and wrote his phone number on the inside of his wrist. “Text me and let me know if you want to hang out tomorrow. Bye!” He ran back to the car, walking a little sloppily. Clint was suddenly glad that there was someone to drive those two back home safely.

He watched as the cars pulled out, an arm slinging around his waist. He turned to look at Banner confusedly when he was pulled into the man’s chest tightly. Lips claimed his and he had to kiss back, knowing there was never a time that he was supposed to question. Banner had to be doing this for a reason. So he pressed his lips back firmly, glad when the pressure was quickly gone. His heart was racing, even though he tried to tell himself repeatedly that it was only a press of lips.

“They better have seen that.” Banner commented, rubbing his hands together to warm them up. He took a step away from Clint, keeping a safe distance.

Clint ducked his head, trying his best to keep his disappointment hidden. He took the jacket off of his shoulders and handed it back to Banner, perhaps a little too brusquely. Banner looked at the article of clothing, confused.

“I want you to have it…” He said slowly, unsure why Clint would be handing it back.

Clint slowly took it back, hanging it back around his shoulders. He wouldn’t say anymore. He took one step closer to Banner, making sure the jacket would be draped over both of them.

Turning his head, Banner sent a small, shy and grateful smile at Clint. “Thanks.”

Clint nodded, turning away so that he wouldn’t have to look at the man anymore. Damn Fury and his stupid demands.

-

Tony sat stiff in the passenger seat, pulling his jacket closer to himself. He leaned forward to turn the heat up but his hand brushed Mr. Rogers’ awkwardly. He pulled his hand back to his side as if he had been shot, looking outside of the window so he wouldn’t have to make eye contact with the man.

Mr. Rogers’ hand never moved. He reached forward and turned the knob, the heat rushing out. The warm air seemed to lick hungrily at Tony’s freezing form, earning a shiver out of him. Tony suddenly wondered what was going on in the car behind him, how Mr. Odinson was treating Loki.

Mr. Rogers pulled into his driveway, smiling all warm and friendly. His hand was trailing across the leather seats and landed on Tony’s thigh. He gave a light squeeze, something that Tony realized his teacher thought was comforting.

“Tony, you can relax. I’m not going to tell on you for having a few drinks.” He moved his hand lazily up Tony’s thigh before setting it on his shoulder. He shook the boy slightly, trying to relieve the tension in his shoulders. Tony just wished that this attractive man would get his hands off of him before he did something really embarrassing.

Tony forced his voice to work. “Yes, thank you, Mr. Rogers.” He cringed at the thought of that line being in some sort of porno. The idea of this student-teacher relationship had definitely appeared in Tony’s fantasies before. The revelation Tony made in his head made him blush, shifting his legs away from Mr. Rogers.

His teacher leaned over their seats, his lips brushing Tony’s ear. He could feel Mr. Rogers’ nose poke into the side of his head. He could feel those beautiful full lips turn upwards into a smile. “You can call me Steve.”

Tony nodded furtively, face tingling from all the heat and embarrassment. Tony forced himself to calm his beating heart and take a deep breath. He could be smooth, he was always smooth. He was a god-damned Stark. Stark’s are known for being smooth. He smirked, turning so he was face to face with his teacher. He wasn’t sure what this change in his teacher was but he could play with it.

His nose brushed against Mr. Rogers’. He looked up at him, noting the height difference for the first time. He bit his lip as he reached out to grasp onto Mr. Rogers’ collar. “Right,” he nodded. He leaned forward slowly, mentally noting the way Mr. Rogers’ breath hitched. He knew he was being a teases but he loved it. When Tony realized their lips were centimeters away from touching, he reached out and grabbed the keys that were still in the engine.

“Thank you, Steve.” He spun around and opened his door. He didn’t bother looking at his teacher when he climbed out of the vehicle. Loki was a few steps behind him, face red but smiling. Tony would have to ask.

“See you on Monday, Tony.” Steve had his back turned to the two teenagers but the smirk in his voice was evident. He slid into the passenger seat suavely, not sparing them a second glance. Tony noticed Mr. Odinson didn’t bother either.

When they were far down the road, Tony turned to Loki. “Now what the fuck just happened?”

Loki nodded eagerly. “What the hell are they playing at?”

Tony shook his head as he watched the car lights disappear. He and Loki had a lot of research for the night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	6. Secrets

Tony woke up the next morning, his head pounding. He glanced to his left, finding a pair of feet rather close to his face. He grimaced, pushing himself off of the floor to the door. Someone was pounding loudly and weren't giving up. He decided against waking Loki up. If his friend could sleep through the loud ruckus, then Loki deserved the extra sleep. He bit his tongue, trying not to snap out an order to the one who wouldn't stop knocking. He ran his hand through his hair, seeing his reflection in the mirror he had in the hallway. He made a mental note to move that mirror as he slowly opened the door.

"Morning, sunshine."

Tony mumbled a hello to Darcy. He scratched absentmindedly at his lower stomach, noticing for the first time that morning that he didn't have a shirt on. The warm breeze from outside was too inviting to put one back on.

"You look like you just woke up from a great round of sex." Darcy walked in when Tony stepped to the side. She patted his bare shoulder, looking around the house to try and find Loki. Once she saw that the living room was messy, she headed in that direction first. She found the man covered by a blanket, face buried into a throw pillow off of the couch. She tapped Loki's frame with her foot as a little kid might poke at a unknown animal.

"Don't worry, he's not dead." Tony commented, making his way to the kitchen. He stretched his arms, placing them high above his head, as he walked. He pulled out a few pans and grabbed the ingredients for French toast. Darcy was in the room immediately, sitting herself down at the bar area. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out hesitantly, checking who could possibly be texting him. The number wasn't recognized but the message made it clear.

_Hey, it's Clint. I hope it's not too early but I'm texting you to know I want to hang out! CB_

Tony grinned, once again glad that the other student wasn't shy. He texted back.

_Awesome. Where do you want to meet up? TW_

Tony felt an odd pang in his chest at the different initials. He suddenly wished for nothing more then being able to call himself Anthony Stark again.

_Is it okay if we go to that coffee shop you took me yesterday? I could go for a cup. CB_

_Absolutely! I'm going to get a shower and then head over. Give me twenty minutes! TW_

_Okay, I have plus two. I'm sure you've seen them around Pepper and Natasha? I'll introduce you when you guys get here. CB_

"What'd you guys do last night?" She reached over to the bowl of fruit, grabbing an apple. She inspected its shiny red surface, rubbing at the odd specks before biting into it. Her lipstick matched the blood red apple. She chewed thoughtfully, motioning with the apple for Tony to speak.

He shrugged, thinking back to the nights events. "Detention was actually dismissed an hour early. Mr. Banner had watched us for the first half but left. Then Mr. Rogers and Mr. Odinson made their way into the room and announced that we had the day off."

She nodded as he spoke. "Lucky. I never got out of detention early. Why did the blond, muscular gods dismiss you?"

Tony flipped the egg and cinnamon coated bread, smiling in satisfaction at the perfectly cooked side. "I don't know, to be honest. They probably had some sort of teacher meeting. Oh, and we took that Clint kid around."

Darcy made an offended noise, gasping sarcastically. "And you didn't think of your good friend Darcy to pick up?"

Tony laughed at her mock offense. "You had homework, miss."

"Speaking of homework," Darcy set her apple down to pull out her phone, "when I was trying to do it yesterday Loki sent me a video of you two dancing. Where the hell did you learn to dance?" She turned her phone towards him, playing the video.

Tony frowned, thinking it too early to see himself on film. "Ugh, I look so gross. I can't believe I wore that outfit." He placed the two pieces of French toast on a plate, setting it in front of Darcy. He grabbed a fork and the bottle of syrup as a second thought, handing that over as well. Loki strode in seconds later, blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders. His black hair stuck up awkwardly in some parts. Tony realized that his hair wasn't as long as it seemed. The way Loki slicked it back made it appear lengthy. Tony found himself wondering what Loki would look like if he didn't slick his hair back. The hair would no doubt hang over his forehead, making him look like any average student. Tony would keep that information for later if they'd have to go under cover. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind, focusing on the new batch of French toast.

"Anyway," Tony tried to finish answering her question, "I was born into that sort of family. I had to know how to dance since I was young. We attend a lot of different parties. Mainly to make small appearances, but why not learn something in the meantime?"

Darcy hummed in agreement around a bite of bread. Loki had reached out, going to pinch off a piece for himself, but Darcy smacked his hand away avariciously. Loki narrowed his eyes at her, his lip curling up as if he were going to hiss defensively. Tony had to snicker as he placed a plate of the food in front of his friend. Loki's eyes immediately crinkled at the corners as he sent a thankful smile at him.

"So we took Clint out and we ate. Then he new a guy who owned a bar so we went there, drank, got in _another_ fight." Tony sighed at that, sending a devious smile at Loki. His friend rolled his eyes, still smiling.

"Those guys were seriously fuckwits." He jumped into an explanation, motioning wildly with his hands as he told the story to Darcy. She asked questions at the right time and when he finished, she reached out to brush the bruise that bloomed across his cheekbone.

"Oh, shit." She was impressed by the bruises but obviously felt guilty. "What the fuck is up with you guys and fights? You need to knock that shit off. One day I'll be getting a phone call that you two are dead or you killed a guy..." She trailed off, her thoughts turning dramatic. She shook them off.

"That's not the craziest part." Tony pulled a chair up so he could face the two. He put his elbows on his knees, tracing the pattern of the granite with his eyes lazily. He was still in a hazy stupor from being woken up after a short amount of sleep. Tony and Loki had stayed up most of the night trying to decode every movement their teachers made. They could have sworn that before they pulled away, Clint and Mr. Banner shared an intimate kiss, but they weren't sure if it was the alcohol messing with their minds. "Mr. Rogers, Mr. Odinson, and Mr. Banner caught us."

Darcy stopped chewing, eyes going wide. She suddenly jumped, trying to swallow. She got her wods out quickly. "No fucking way. What happened? Details on everything."

Loki chuckled as Tony tried to explain. He went into depth about the way they'd tried to avoid their attention. The way they were treated when they were in the car, positive that Darcy wasn't going to say a word to get Mr. Rogers or Mr. Odinson in trouble. He tried his best to keep Clint out of the conversation because that was not his business.

Darcy's eyes had grown wide and she almost seemed to be frozen to the spot. Tony and Loki had no time to question her before she erupted into groans. "What the hell? Why can't Ms. Foster do that? You guys are lucky fuckers, keep that it mind." She pointed and glared ominously at the two. They had no choice but to laugh at her reaction.

Tony collected the dishes, grinning as Darcy went on.

"I can't believe you two are hooking up with the hottest male teachers in the fucking school! And I can't even get Ms. Foster to even glance at me." Darcy's head fell back as he she groaned dramatically.

He grabbed two towels and the supplies needed. He handed Loki what he'd need for a shower and gave him directions towards one of the closest baths. Tony gave Darcy free range of the house but she wanted nothing more than to watch the News on his large television. He headed off to the second bath, jumping into the shower immediately. He was done minutes later and was already dressed. He walked down the steps to find Loki finished just about the time he did. Darcy turned off the television once they arrived, waiting for what would happen next.

"Okay, we're headed over to a coffee shop." Tony grabbed a jacket as he walked out the door. Darcy and Loki followed behind him, arguing like children. He opened up the driver's side and slid in, grinning when the two fought over the passenger seat. Loki ended up sitting in the back, glowering at Darcy's head.

Clint wasn't at the coffee shop when they had arrived, so Ton took it upon himself to get a table. A few minutes later Clint strolled in, car keys in hand. He glanced around the place until he saw a waving Tony. He waved back, hurrying over. The girls behind him seemed awkwardly shy. Pepper smiled widely though and gave a small wave as where Natasha kept a straight face, nodding slightly to acknowledge everyone. They ordered their drinks after everyone was introduced and hands were shook.

An hour passed. Tony had successfully gotten Natasha to crack. She started laughing at his cocky comments and would even roll her eyes at others. She was comfortable now and Tony was more than proud to say he was the one that broke her shell. A waiter came to gather to drinks so Tony took this opportunity to slip cash into the waiter's hand. He smiled warmly, trying to mask the payment as a hand shake. "Have a good day. This should cover it all." He whispered the other half, rising to his feet.

The waiter nodded, staring at the large bill in his hand in awe. "What do you want me to do with the change, sir?"

Tony shrugged, fixing his jacket around his shoulders. He patted the younger boy's shoulder. "You've served us well. That's your tip."

The boy stared back, mouth open wide and eyes showing disbelief. Tony shrugged, motioning for all the others to follow him. They scooted out of the booth, leaving the shop confusedly. Clint and Loki seemed to be the only ones with a clue to what the teenager had done.

"Anthony Willhold," Loki said scolding, crossing his arms across his chest. He raised an eyebrow to the edge of his forehead with narrowed eyes. Tony smiled apologetically, lifting his hands to his side in a what-the-hell manner.

"Sorry." He responded with a chuckle. "Just a small payment. We didn't order that much."

"We're paying you back." Pepper demanded, clearly speaking for her and Natasha. Natasha nodded to her words, stomping her foot in agreement.

Tony sighed, rolling his eyes, and at the same time he allowed his head to roll back on his shoulders in exhaustion. "No! It's not that big of a deal. Can we talk about it later? Right now, I want to go on a joy ride." He turned to face his car, unlocking the doors. "Everyone hop in. I'll be very responsible as I drive very quickly down a bumpy dirt road." He slipped into his seat, placing his hands on the worn leather wheel in front of him. He didn't bother gauging everyone's reactions, knowing they'd either agree or disagree. He smiled in satisfaction when all the bodies piled into his car. Everyone seemed to be vibrating with excitement and fright.

"Buckle up, everyone." Tony said sarcastically as he pulled out onto the road, the tires of the car screeching as the protested against the movement. Tony kept his eyes peeled for any police men, pulling around cars dangerously, squeezing into tight spots that any normal driver probably wouldn't be able to. He really didn't mind showing off. He always thought if he showed his - what should he call it? - talent, then the others would be more open to sharing theirs. Clint and Natasha could open up to whatever they were hiding. Tony was curious, even though he was pretty sure his prediction was correct.

He was near the street that would lead down to his and Loki's homes. He sped down the neighborhood road, noticing how the houses happened to quickly disperse as the road went on longer. Tony was reaching an intersection, yanking the wheel sharply to the left. The car's back end swerved as the tires spun on the dirt road. The dust was forming giant clouds behind them, making it impossible for Tony to see what was behind his vehicle. He didn't anticipate much to be driving down this road. The moment he made another sharp turn the others in the car cheered loudly. Tony realized how ridiculous the moment felt, almost as if there should be a case of alcohol in the back and multiple joints in the glove compartment.

Another turn and suddenly he was pulling up to a house. All eyes in the car tried to assess the moment, noticing how they were pulling up to the back of the house on a very small dirt path. Tony slammed on the brakes, making all bodies surge forward from the moment. He put the car into park and smiled widely, lifting his hands to motion at the house. "Welcome to the Willhold household! That rolls of the tongue, doesn't it?" He began to unbuckle his seatbelt.

The group made their way into his house.

-

Peggy smiled a toothy grin at Steve as he drove closer to her apartment. The two had just finished a magnificent date and Steve was being a complete gentleman. She had hopes of the day being more adventurous. Her mind ran wild with the ideas of the stuff they could do, blushing at some. She paused when she felt a vibration on her bum. She lifted herself off the seat and grabbed the cell phone. She recognized it as her sisters. Pepper must have left it in there when they dropped her off at Natasha's. She respected Pepper's privacy so she searched through her own phone to find Natasha's number. Pepper wasn't aware of them knowing each other too well, but Peggy and Natasha knew each other way back because of the agency.

_Natasha, Pepper left her phone in the car. Where are you? I should return it. PC_

Seconds later, the phone rang. Natasha was always the type to respond as fast as possible. She responded with an unfamiliar address, but Peggy had a general idea where the house was. She kindly asked Steve if he would turn around, explaining how she had found Pepper's phone. He was sweet about it, as always, and headed in the direction of the unknown address.

Steve pulled up close to the house, putting the vehicle in park. Peggy began unbuckling, slipping her feet back into the heels on the floor of the car when she noticed Steve was getting out. She had no time to ask him what he was doing because he quickly made his way across the car. He opened the door open for her and held his hand out. She took the hand gracefully, stepping out of the vehicle. She looped her arm through his, walking up to the porch. Her neat, manicured hand reached out, knocking on the glossy, black door.

Minutes later, a boy answered, one Peggy recognized walking around the school. She had no idea Pepper had spoken to him before. But there was something different about him... something familiar in the way he smiled lopsidedly at the stranger's on his porch. The way his eyes displayed a world of knowledge and hurt almost choked Peggy. He acted more mature and responsible for the age he was. Peggy would have guessed maybe seventeen, nineteen at most.

"Hello," Peggy started, confused when she felt Steve freeze up next to her. She glimpsed at him out of the corner of her eye but turned back to the boy. She handed to phone out. "I believe my sister it here?"

The boy's eyes had been drawn to their attached arms, the way they were acting more intimate then teachers should treat each other. Peggy blushed slightly, about to comment but the boy cut her off. He looked her directly in the eye. He seemed to stuck, staring at Peggy as if she had something on her face. She felt self-conscious, scrutinized under his gaze. She shifted on her feet awkwardly, glancing away nervously. "Right," the boy sounded suspicious as he took the electronic. "You must be speaking about Pepper." The boy winced at that, seeming to make a mistake.

Peggy cocked her head at that, confused as to why he was calling her sister Pepper. Pepper was only called Pepper by a select few. Natasha and Clint would throw around the nickname a few times to make a show when they needed to. An image of a younger boy popped into her mind. The Stark child. He was sitting in a sandbox with Pepper. Peggy stood off to the side, arms crossed and pouting like the rebellious teenager she was. She could hear the words fall right off the boys tongue as if she were hearing it in present day. He had called her Pepper first. Anthony Stark had been the first one. Peggy shut her mouth and shook her head, trying to get rid of the images. She was letting everything go to her head.

"Right, yes." Peggy nodded, she peered around Tony and into the house, hoping she'd spot her sister.

Tony noticed this and spoke up, throwing a thumb over his shoulder. "We're just hanging out in the game room. Would you like me to call her out?" As if it were a second thought, Tony said his name, eyes stuck on Steve as he did so. "I'm Anthony, by the way."

Peggy smiled politely, nodding and shaking the boy's hand. "No, that's quite all right. I won't bother her at the moment. It was delightful to meet you, Anthony."

Rustling sounded behind Tony and then a group of kids had erupted out of a doorway. They were laughing and playfully pushing one another around. Music seemed to follow them, a lot louder then Peggy had realized. She hadn't even heard music at first...

Pepper saw her sister and ran towards the door immediately. Tony handed over the phone when she bumped shoulders with him. "Oh, is that why you're here?" Pepper questioned.

Peggy nodded, moving forward to wrap her sister into a quick hug. Peggy learned from experience that you could lose someone within a second and your last actions are always important. "Yep, just dropping off your phone. I hope you have fun with your friends." Peggy waved warmly at the others crowded a few feet behind the two at the door. They all waved back, quite shyly.

"Okay, we're off. Thank you, Anthony." Goodbyes were shared and then the two left, Steve still as rigid as he possibly could be.

-

Tony laid in bed, his hands behind his head. He found himself grinning up at the ceiling at the greatest luck he was having with friends. The past weekend was absolutely the best and it was over already. He decided it must because he wasn't being he who truly was. He wasn't Anthony Stark anymore and people liked that. Anthony Willhold was a nobody, and being a nobody was the most important thing in the world. Tony turned on his side, glancing at the clock. He'd have to get ready for school in a few hours and he couldn't find himself to get anymore sleep. He sighed, throwing his blankets off of him.

Tony readied himself for school. His shower took him a few minutes and dressing was no problem. He glanced in the mirror, noticing that he looked a little fancier then need be. He shrugged to himself, too lazy to change. Looking fancy never harmed anyone.

He walked into the kitchen, opening up the laptop he left there and began writing a report to Obi. He could feel something pull at his heart when he had to mention Loki, Clint, and Natasha. Something was off about them and he needed to find out what it was. He was doing his job. He had to start distancing himself from them. He was on a mission and growing close to others only made it dangerous for him. Seeing Peggy was the hardest for him, and he needed to know if the reason he was at the school had to do with Pepper and Peggy. In fear of being ripped out of the school, Tony didn't mention them. He knew it was a dangerous risk, perhaps they'd figure him out, but he had to find out more for himself.

He made himself a cup of coffee before he headed off to school. He picked Loki up, offering him a second cup that he'd made personally for the boy. Loki took it gracefully and they began chatting about the weekend. Tony realized that he had two bandanas wrapped around his hands, something that Loki had often. Tony liked his style.

Classes had started. They were boring as usual but Tony knew he could do the work so he didn't bother complaining. He took the homework willingly and tried to scribble as many answers as he could. He was sat in Mr. Odinson's class, trying his best to ignore the looks Mr. Odinson kept giving Loki when he wasn't looking. Tony was well accustomed to the glances that Loki always threw his teacher's way but this was different and odd. Tony wondered if he should give his friend the Talk when they were alone. He probably had no room to talk because he was in the same position with Mr. Rogers, although he had no idea what to think when Mr. Rogers showed up on his doorstep with Peggy.

Tony felt childish when he felt a surge of jealousy wave through him. He hated Mr. Rogers at that moment, making Tony feel things he didn't want to. Tony was content with never feeling love, never feeling the worry of having a lover, never feeling lustful when the other entered the room. Tony resented Mr. Rogers for what he had done but he liked him at the same time. Tony refused to ever say love. Tony didn't _love_ anyone and he never would. He felt as if he were to give someone his love, then he'd be handing them another problem. Tony was nothing but a burden.

He pushed himself out of the desk when the bell had wrung, once again ignoring Mr. Odinson when he watched Loki exit the room. He wanted to scoff and tease but he knew better. Now simply wasn't the time to joke about such a serious matter. They made their way to Tony's locker, neither feeling quite hungry to buy a lunch. They weren't expecting Darcy to be standing there, grinning madly.

"Hey guys." She greeted when they approached. Tony raised an eyebrow as a question, wondering what she was playing at. Darcy shrugged, allowing him to put his stuff away before he continued.

"I thought we could go to the music room? Loki knows how I like to make a random trip there every now and then." Darcy smiled hopefully, hooking her thumbs in her pockets and swaying nervously.

Both boys quickly agreed, following her to the band room. She questioned if they wanted to buy lunch first but no one was feeling hungry enough to power through the instant food.

Darcy made herself at home in the room immediately. She sat at one of the chairs and lounged, looking fondly at the room and all of its instruments. Tony sat down next to her, getting a guitar before he did so. He made sure to play one of Darcy's favorite songs, beaming when he saw her reaction. She closed her eyes and looked as if he she could fall asleep. She looked the most peaceful as Tony had ever seen when there was an odd announcement. Tony recognized the voice as Principle Fury's. Loki groaned from beside him. Darcy patted the boys knees before hurrying out of the room.

"Everyone, please head down to the gymnasium for our pep rally."

"I have to hurry and grab a good seat. I'll see you two down there. Hurry up!"

Tony glanced at Loki, wide eyed. Loki only nodded with an apologetic smile, his bruises nearly gone now. There was only a faint hint of them at the corner of his mouth where his lip had split. The two took their time, even being out. The walked even slower, knowing they wouldn't be missing much. Tony had his backpack slung around one shoulder while Loki had his on both securely. They were only a few hallways around from the gym when two figures collided into them, sending them sprawling on the ground. All four looked up in surprise, Tony and Loki even more so when they noticed the two that had ran into them were adorned in tight, black clothing with masks.

They jumped into action, all four on their feet in seconds. Tony took no time in reacting. He took his backpack and swung it around, his books hitting one of them in the head. They fell to the ground in pain, clutching at the side of their face. No doubt their vision was blurring. Tony stared at the two men that they had managed to knock out. He was breathing heavy, head racing with no idea what to do.

"Take their weapons." Tony demanded, patting them down. He slipped a pistol into the back of his pants, glimpsing at Loki. Loki looked at him weirdly, not sure whether he should comply to the orders. Tony sighed, motioning to the body on the floor. "Hurry. Someone's going to try and invade the school. We need to go on lockdown."

Loki gulped and nodded, patting the limp man down. Once he had a weapon, Tony led them to the office. First thing he did was call the police. Their help would be better then nothing. Tony pulled his phone out, texting Darcy to warn her of the possible capabilities. He made sure the text went out to Natasha and Clint as well, knowing they'd try and do something about it. When he didn't get a message back, his panic started to rise. Tony sighed. Before they left, he made sure to shoot a text to Obi, letting him know he'd need backup. He slipped out of the office, making sure Loki was following. He peeked around the door, shutting it when he saw a wave of the same suited men making their way to the gym. He waited for the six to pass before slipping in the back. He wished he could jump them but it wasn't smart to get these men all on him. He was sure they'd be beaten to death within seconds.

He leaned over to whisper into Loki's ear, "You shoot to kill. Don't waste bullets if you don't need to. Wait for my mark when we go into the gym." Loki was nodding to his words. Tony could see his hands shaking slightly. He regretted bringing Loki into this. "It's not going to be easy. But we can do this."

The doors to the gymnasium were thrown open, the bright lights blinding him. He squinted against the light, waiting for the door to shut. All eyes would be on the men who had just walked in. He made sure to count to five before slipping in. He remained crouched, Loki following suit. They had remained unseen, most of the students directly in front of them, sat on the bleachers. The teachers stood off to the side, the men leaving them alone.

Tony ducked under the steps, Loki pressed tight against him. He listened closely to the announcement that the attackers were making.

"Hello, students!" A deep voice said dangerously. Tony waited for more. "I'm sure you're very sad that you're missing out on your pep rally. Here, how about I make you a deal?" The man sounded as if he was speaking to children. Tony moved closer, hoping that the students above wouldn't make his presence known if they saw him. Music played in the background, making the moment eerie with how silent the students were being. "Well, does that sound good?"

The students remained silent.

The man made a sound as if he were scolding them. "You should know that you're not being very polite. You're always supposed to answer your superiors when they ask you a question. I'll let it slide for now." Tony watched as the man pranced around. He was rather thin, dressed in a nice suit with a chilling blue tie. Tony zoned in on the tie pin, noticing it was a flower. He couldn't see much else. He'd get a few glimpses of the back of his head but that was it. "There's someone at your school who isn't being very truthful to you. That's wrong. Lying is wrong. I know you all know that. He shouldn't be at your school, you see. He is high up on the latter. He is very rich and _very_ smart. You are all pigs and twits." There was a low grown that sounded from the crowd. This man was not being smart. "I won't tell you what his real name is. You don't know it. You know him as something else. And if you don't tell us, we'll kill you."

Tony was then aware that the man was talking about him as a shiver ran down his spin at the threat. Everything slid into place. He cursed, wishing that the Obi would hurry the hell up, or at least the police. He would be outed any second if someone didn't come to help. It was that or Tony approach them solo and die young. He'd rather not choose the second option but the the second would be needed to keep his identity secret. That was the first rule he was taught when brought into the agency. Never reveal who you truly are.

Taking a deep breath, Tony pulled his hood up around his head. He turned towards Loki, reaching out for the gun. He held that tightly in his right hand as he grabbed onto Loki's wrist. He took one bandana off. Loki watched as Tony tied one around the lower half of his face. He smiled at Loki behind the mask, his eyes showing much more than his smile could. Loki shook his head, grabbing onto Tony.

"No, fuck that." Loki whispered over the man's speech. "Tony, you're stupid. You're not doing this. Stop being a hero."

Tony frowned at that, the words cutting deep. He turned away from Loki, shaking his head. "Not being a hero, Loki. I'm doing my job."

Loki sighed at that, not letting go of Tony. "This isn't your job, Tony. Give me those guns, right now."

Tony shook his head, glancing at Loki. He kept eye contact, his eyes conveying all he couldn't say. He pulled out of Loki's grasp, breaking into a sprint. The moment he allowed himself to fall into a slide, the lights had gone out. Tony was blind with only the image of where everyone was standing burning in the back of his mind. He tried to use his photographic memory to his advantage but the screams coming from the audience wasn't happening. He tried to comfort himself in saying they were only frightened students. No one was harming them.

A loud boom sounded when the mic was dropped. Tony spun around, his foot connecting with someone's leg. The attacker fell to the ground, letting out a groan of pain. Tony's fist connected with the side of his head, knocking him out cold. Tony was in a crouch when the lights flickered once more, giving him a good glimpse at where everyone was. It was dark in a few seconds. Tony sprang to his feet, jumping and wrapping his legs around one agent's neck. He spun himself around, landing back on his feet gracefully. The man was out. Tony turned around but the butt of a gun hit him across the jaw. He fell backwards onto his ass, a lightening bolt of energy trailing up his spin. Tony dodged the next hit, turning to the side and allowing the gun to go into the ground. He kicked his feet out and grabbed the man's pistol. He kicked him across the face. He was out.

A figure was suddenly pressed against him, crowding him into a wall. Tony was almost cornered, pressed tightly against the wall, and the attacker would probably kill him then. But he slipped out under the man's arm, pressing him into the wall. A foot was thrown out but Tony jumped just as the light flickered long enough for Tony to see the man's eyes behind the mask. The room was cast in back in darkness. Tony threw his elbow out, hitting him across the temple. He was out.

Tony heard footsteps approaching closely. Screams were still occurring in the student section but Tony knew he had to pay attention to the men in suits. He turned around and a fist connected with his jaw. Tony ducked a second punch, placing his hands roughly on the man's shoulders. He threw him into the wall. The man was out.

Tony hurried, trying to get away from the wall when another figure was approaching. He didn't bother looking at him, afraid to see eyes staring back at him. He jumped in the air, completing the action he had done earlier. His legs had wrapped around the man's neck, this time Tony let them fall forward. The hit on the hard floor knocked the air out of him, but he gathered the man's hands in his, refusing to let him hit him. Tony, with a twist of his legs, knocked the man back out.

Tony rolled off the man and onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling, not able to see it through the dark. He took a deep breath before rocking back on his shoulders. The lights flickered on at that time, staying on longer then before. Tony had pushed himself up, landing upright on his feet. He quickly put his hood back on top of his head. He stayed in the crouched position, knowing this seemed much more intimidating. He watched as the man who was speaking to the student section scrambled for the microphone.

The man brushed his hair brack, the light blond that seemed to be unnatural. His eyes scrambled across the room desperately, sizing up how many he had left. There was a pile around Tony, making him see much more dangerous then he actual was. Tony counted about six guys. Behind the blond man, there stood nearly twelve. He knew it was a false hope, the think that he could actually get out of this, but he would try. Tony Stark doesn't give up. The man straightened his tie, tucking it back into his jacket.

"Oh, lovely. He makes an appearance." The man grinned, trying his hardest not to seem worried. He was disheveled and wasn't expecting the fight. Tony was proud of himself. "I thought you wouldn't have made an appearance. I assumed you'd be a coward, just like your father."

Tony had to snicker at that. Taking jabs at his dead parents wasn't going to bother him as much as the man would think. But Tony would like to smack him silly for being an idiot. Tony took this moment to look out across the crowd. His eyes landed on a group of girls, freshmen, that looked terrified. One girl was crying in the center, the tears falling silently. Tony glanced off to the side to spot the sports teams looking as though they should join in but not having enough bravery to. Tony didn't want them to. They'd be in danger and he didn't need that.

The man tsked, shaking his head at Tony. He motioned at the boy. "Now, what's with the mask? Don't want all these wonderful students to know who you are?"

Tony glanced away then, wondering if anyone could decipher who he was by his eyes. Perhaps his clothes. Tony cocked his head to the side, his expression showing how he wanted to prove the man wrong. Tony knew well he'd have to move slowly. He got to his feet, walking closer to the man. He stopped when guns were raised at him. Tony put his hands up, mirth shining in his eyes.

"I respect you," the man suddenly said, motioning with the mic. "You had to have known you were going to die. I mean," the man put his hands up and shrugged, his men standing alert behind. "I've had a clear advantage this whole time. But you, oh, I know you. You had to try, even if it meant failure." The man turned to his henchman and directed something that Tony could barely here. "Shoot him. But not to kill. Not yet."

Tony had no time to react as the gun was pointed at him. A loud bang sounded and a bullet was released. He could feel it cut into his flesh as if it were in slow motion. He could feel it tear through and leave a giant, gaping wound. He fell to the ground in pain, his hands closing over the wound. He was on his knees, vision going blurry. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to regain his balance and sight. He forced himself to his knees, looking at the man through heavy lidded eyes.

"Always a tough one." He moved closer to Tony, only a few inches away. Tony wondered why Obi hadn't sent anyone. Tony wondered what he did to deserve all this rash of shit. Tony straightened himself up, wincing at the wound. He could feel the metal still lodged inside of him. He knew how dangerous a gun shot to the stomach could be. But it was off to the side, on his left side. He tried to comfort himself by telling little lies, like nothing was important over there anyway. He could feel the blood trickle past his fingers. "I'll take that away from you." The man raised his hand, backhanding Tony across the face. Tony fell down, curling in on himself.

Someone called out, someone demanding the man stop. Tony couldn't make the words form a sentence. The yells were just background noise. The man knelt down, pressing his knee into Tony's chest. He smiled down, sickeningly sweet, at Tony. "Don't worry, I'll take all your bravery, your pride and fame, away from you," he leant down, lips centimeters away from Tony's ears, "Anthony Stark."

The lights were out. Everything was cast in darkness once more. Tony used all his force, every fiber of his being to thrust the man off of him. He took his jacket off and flipped the man over, taking his hands and forcing them behind his back. Tony was tying the man's hands together. He pressed his knee forcefully into the man's back. When the squirming became too much for Tony, he let his fist connect with the blonde's head, knocking him out as he did with all the others.

Tony fell off the man, holding his side. He got to his feet and hobbled off back to the doorway where he knew Loki would be waiting for him. He needed time to gather his energy back and then he'd take care of the rest. He'd just made his way behind the bleachers, crashing into Loki when the lights were back on.

A horde of policemen were standing in the gymnasium, guns ready and pressed against all of the agents heads. Tony made a mental note that darkness was not their ally. He sighed with relief, doubling over to catch his breath. His vision was going black as Loki rushed him out of the gymnasium, past the doors. Tony knew that Loki was going to take him out the car and probably drive him anywhere he could get medical help. But Tony needed to do something first.

Tony removed his arm from around Loki's shoudler and stumbled over to the office. He hurried into Fury's room and snagged the footage from all the cameras within the school. He wouldn't delete it. He would scan and commit it to memory. He hobbled back out, crashing into the wall as he did so. He made sure to leave no blood, taking his bandana off and wadding it. He pressed it tightly to the wound and hurried out of the school with Loki's help.

All of the policemen had been in the gymnasium, leaving none to deal with anyone leaving. They hurried into Tony's car. Tony's vision blurred then and his mind went foggy. He heard nothing but ringing. He pressed his hands to his ears and grimaced, holding back screams. When the pain became too much, Tony blacked out.

-

Tony groaned, trying his hardest to roll onto his side but a red hot pain shot up his side. He gasped, forcing his eyes opened. He hissed at the pain, craddling his side. His vision was back. He could see very clearly now and realized he was in his own home, on top of the table with a mattress underneath him. He rolled off, sticking his feet out. Stumbling around his home, he reached the fridge first. He grabbed out a water bottle he had waiting and downed its contents. He crumpled the plastic in his hand, tossing it behind him carelessly. Someone snickered at that, scaring him. He turned around quickly, knocking himself off balance. He grabbed onto the island to hold himself steady.

Darcy sat on the edge of one of the counters, staring at Tony carefully. She looked as if she wasn't sure if she should help or not. Loki stood right next to her, hands up and ready to catch Tony if need be. Darcy shook her head, eyes wide with worry. "God damn, Tony. You're really fucking mysterious, you know that?"

Tony chuckled, throwing in an apologetic smile. He tried to come off as strong, stepping away from the island to stand up by himself. "Sorry about that. There's some stuff that I need to explain-"

"Damn right you do." Loki interjected, arms crossed angrily over his chest.

Tony nodded, continuing on. "But I can't right now. I'm... I just can't."

Darcy crossed her arms and stomped firmly. “We’re  not fucking leaving until you say something. You shouldn’t hide this from us, especially if you think you’re going to get us in trouble or something. We’ve been fine yet.”

Tony scoffed at that, rolling his eyes. He held onto the table for support as the searing hot pains racked his body. “Yeah, sure. Loki’s been in fights and now I’ve gotten the whole school in trouble. I’m a danger and it’d just be better if I leave-” he stopped to hiss at the stinging in his side.

“Okay, first of all, those fights had nothing to do with… whatever the hell your problem is. The first one was because of an asshole in the school lunchroom, the other was when a party got a little too crazy, and the other was just a bar fight.” Loki had his fingers up, listing them off. When he had finished, he placed his hand down at his side. “Shit happens and my life has been so much better! It’s exciting! Fights or not, Tony, you know how to help somebody _live._ ”

Tony smirked sideways at that, a small smile. Something that seemed to convey a bigger message then he had meant to. Darcy pointed at him, pursing her lips and shaking her head. “No, don’t you dare do that. I know that look. Don’t do it, Anthony Willhold.”

Tony had to wince at the name being used. He shrugged, smiling apologetically. “I’m not sure what you mean, Darcy.” He patted at the bandage that was on his side, wondering how the hell his friends managed to do such a magnificent job. He would have to ask about that later. “What have I done now?”

Darcy raised a dangerous eyebrow, looking as if she were ready to pounce. “You’re giving me this sad eyed smile. You’re going to leave and don’t deny it. I’m not allowing you to.” She stepped closer to Tony. “I know you may have taken those people down in the gym but oh well. I’ll try my best. You can’t leave us.”

Tony waved her off. “Oh, come off it. I’m not going anywhere. Even though I should.” He muttered the last part.

“Well, anything you want to say now?” Loki waited patiently, hoping that Tony would be comfortable to tell him what was going on.

Tony placed his hand in his chin, questioning whether this was the moment he should do it. He was always waiting for a good time to test Loki but it never seemed proper. They were always busy or there was always someone else around. Besides, Tony had no idea how to tell Loki he was trained to be a spy since birth. Tony took in a deep breath, the bandage pulling tight on his skin. He thought it was now or never.

“Okay, do understand me, you have to do something first. Is that okay?”

Loki nodded slowly, apprehensive but accepting and trustful. Tony had to grin at that. He limped over to empty room that he was supposed to make a target room. He grabbed a pistol on the way that had been lying at his bedside table. At the sight of that, Darcy and Loki gave him a wide eyed look but he waved them off, limping further down the hallway. He opened the door to the large room, hating how new it smelled. He popped open the marker he had snatched on the way over, walking over to the furthest wall and putting a small dot.

“Okay, I need you to be blindfolded.” Tony slipped a cloth he had in his pajama bottoms and stood in front of Loki. He waited to make sure it was okay with the boy. Loki nodded, biting his bottom lip from the nerves. Tony smiled, laying a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder. He pulled the cloth tight around Loki’s eyes, making sure their was no visibility. He knotted the cloth to make sure it wouldn’t slip off.

“Okay, I’m ready. I’ll tell you what to do.” Tony raised Loki’s arm, pointing in the vicinity of the dot. He made sure the safety was off before stepping away. “I need you to remember that dot. Take in everything you can about this room and shoot.”

Loki scoffed in disbelief. Tony could almost hear the boy roll his eyes behind the cloth. “I can’t just shoot. This is so ridiculous. This isn’t going to prove a thing.”

“Just shoot.” Tony responded.

Loki sighed, pointing the gun. He was still for quite some time before moving the weapon a fraction of an inch. He shot. Tony felt a thrill of excitement go threw him when Loki hit close to the dot. “Again.” He demanded, clasping his shaking hands together. He wanted this to be so true.

Loki groaned but aimed the gun, taking one more shot. This time, the bullet hid the dot right on. Darcy let out a shocked gasp, hand flying up to cover her mouth. Her red lipstick would definitely rub off onto her hand. Tony jumped forward, ripping the cloth off of Loki’s hair, disheveling it. He took the gun and put the safety on, wiggling his eyebrows.

“You’re a bigger part in this then you could have ever guessed, Laufeyson.” Tony stepped aside so Loki could see where he hit the dot. Loki had the exact reaction Darcy did but appeared as if he were going to faint. Tony placed his hand on Loki’s shoulder to keep him steady, a question in his eyes. Loki nodded, waving the hand off, knowing he’d be fine. He took a deep breath, ready to question Tony.

“So… what does this mean?” Loki asked slowly, moving to stand next to Darcy.

Tony shrugged, walking passed them and out of the room. He placed the gun back on his nightstand and headed for the kitchen. Loki and Darcy followed close behind. “Well, this means you’ve been trained, Loki. What I don’t understand is why you don’t remember it. I’ve heard rumors about kids who were trained since birth but once they were old enough to remember, they’d put them back into a normal family. By the end of their teenage years, the agency would normally call the children back and use them to their advantage.”

Loki had seemed to get nothing from that, staring at Tony blankly. “What do you mean by trained?”

“I mean that you’ve been trained to be a spy. You have special skills that no one else has… other than spies. I’m sure you’ve noticed when you were growing up.” Tony turned around and poured himself a cup of orange juice. “It’s really quite flattering. They choose a child from an elite group. But it’s unfair and unjust.” Tony paused to take a sip of the juice. “But we can use this to your advantage, Loki.”

Loki stopped, trying to put all the pieces together. He took a seat at the island, needing to clear his mind up. His knees were starting to wobble. He glanced at Tony. “What you’re telling me is that you’re a spy.”

Tony cocked his head to the side, not sure whether that was proper or not. He sighed, hating the way it sounded. “It sounds really bad when you put it like that. I’m just… okay, yeah, I’m a spy. But I’m not bad.” Tony felt ridiculous trying to justify himself.

Darcy looked scandalized. “I feel like it’s going to be really cheesy if I say this but I’m going to say it anyway. Is Anthony Willhold even your real name?”

Tony bit his lip, avoiding eye contact as he shook his head no.

“Then what _is_ your real name?” Darcy asked.

Tony sighed, wishing this could be easier. “I’m not exactly at liberty to say…”

“Oh, for fucks sake, Tony. I think I deserve to know your god damned name! I just found out that my best friend since childhood has been trained to kill since birth and you’ve been too! But I know nothing about you! You knew about your training, as well! Loki was just a baby! His name has to be Loki Laufeyson and if it isn’t then we both don’t know what the fuck it is.” Darcy paused, taking a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is that Loki has no secrets but you have many. We just want some answers.”

Tony nodded, understanding completely. He took a seat, cradling his orange juice in between his hands. “Okay… well, let me start.”


	7. Die Young

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's secret is finally out.

Fury stood in front of his agents, pacing back and forth. Clint could see the vein bulging on his forehead, making him more intimidating then he'd ever been. After a few more minutes of mindless pacing, he slammed his fist down on the table and erupted. His face had been growing blue since he was keeping so quiet but now he looked healthier. His fist remained squeezed as he set his glare on Rogers and Odinson.

"Where the hell did these people come from?" He all but screamed, pointing an accusatory finger at two of his best agents. "How the hell did they get through our security?"

Steve and Thor ducked their heads, trying their best to hide their embarrassment. Peggy sat at the other side of the room along with Jane, their eyes wide and mouths opened slightly in shock. Their presence made the scolding that much worse. The men remained quiet, knowing it was a rhetorical question.

"I'll tell you how they got through our security. We've got poor agents. I've got nearly ten agents stationed in the building and not _one_ of you did a _damn_ thing!" He slammed his fist down once again, the boom sounding through the large room. Everyone jumped. He pointed at them all, taking his time to glare at them all. "I've never been so disappointed in my entire life! Here you all sit, most of you grown adults," his gaze traced over Natasha and Clint guilty but he kept his anger, "and you didn't do a damn thing. A kid, who is _undercover,_ defeated nearly ten men in the _dark_." He let that sentence set in, leaning on the table in front of him. Fury sighed, turning his back to the group. "You need to start figuring out who this damn kid is and what he's up to. Right now. Tell me what students were not at the assembly."

Thor rattled off two students had been reported absent due to colds. Both had been female though, ruling them out immediately. Jane had brought up a student she had in her fourth period, but due to the fact that he was over weight ruled him out. They chatted then, the room becoming a warm buzz as they made a mental list of all the students. Peggy sat at the table, one hand resting on the cool surface. Her face grew cold as she remembered Darcy Lewis, the girl who often wore red lipstick such as her own, walking into the gymnasium by herself. Loki Laufeyson and Anthony Willhold would always accompany her. Both had been missing the entire assembly. She thought back the attacker's words.

_"He shouldn't be at your school, you see. He is high up on the latter. He is very rich and very smart."_

Peggy was chilled to the bone as everything slid into place. Her eyes began to rattle as the image of the Stark child flashed behind her eyes. He was just a child, he couldn't be older then nineteen, and he was wrapped into all of this. She felt guilty, wishing there could have been something she could have done. Perhaps if her and Pepper had taken a more active role in seeing him, maybe he wouldn't have turned down the dead end road she had. He was stuck in an agency, he was alone, and Peggy knew that he had no one to trust. She felt a sick twisting in her stomach as she remembered the gun shot, the way he fell to his knees. Those brown eyes not regretting a single thing he had done. Her throat constricted as she tried to speak. Everyone glanced at her after she made a choked noise.

"Oh, God." She leaned forward, putting her head in her hands to stop the spinning. She took a deep breath, trying to stop her wavering voice. She made no eye contact in fear of tearing up, tracing the pattern of her hand against the table. "I know who it is."

Fury's head bounced up at that, his eyebrows knitting together to form a perfect face of confusion. "Go on."

"I mean..." Peggy shook her head, trying to clear her mind. "I _think_ I know who it is."

Fury sighed, "Well, we have none of our security footage so if you could continue on, I'd greatly appreciate it."

"It's the Willhold student.  But his name isn't Anthony Willhold." Peggy felt sick, her stomach rumbling. She had to get up, holding her stomach gingerly as she felt her food might rise up. She placed a hand over her mouth, shaking her head.

"Carter, I demand you say who it is this instant."

Peggy's vision went black as she swayed backwards. She felt her head connect with a surface but she felt no pain. She succumbed to the darkness, allowing the faint to take her.

Fury growled, throwing a finger in Thor's direction. "Rogers, go over to Willhold's house now. You find out who he is. Don't make it obvious. Report back when you have more information." Fury walked out of the room, not bothering to help Peggy. Two medics rushed into the room, lifting her limp body off the ground.

"What the hell are we going to do to him? He's just a kid! In case you didn't notice, he was protecting everyone in the school today." Clint found anger bubbling in his chest. He didn't know why he felt the urge to protect Tony. Perhaps it was because he was the nicest stranger he had ever met.

Fury sent him a cold glare before exiting the room, leaving Clint helpless.

-

Tony rubbed his face, trying to get rid of the exhaustion that was evident on his face. Darcy and Loki had left after hours of him explaining what had happened to him, but still leaving things vague. They had no clue what his name was. They didn't know what he was like before the agency. They had no idea of the achievements he had made and the weapons he had helped create. He knew it was hard for them to trust him. He wouldn't blame them for never talking to him again. Tony began to wonder if he should tell Obadiah now and get switched out. But that would make things all too suspicious.

"Jesus, Tony, you sure have fucked up once again." He shook his head, clasping his hand in his hair.

Tony rose to his feet, off to the shower. He would wash the wound out and patch it back up afterwards. On his way to the bathroom, he spotted a movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to spot himself looking back at him. Tony had never gotten a chance to move that large, annoying mirror. Taking a deep breath, Tony approached the reflective surface, his eyes never leaving his own. He trailed them over his face, looking at every wrinkle and every scar. He lifted his hand slowly, letting it hover over the scratches his cheekbone. He pursed his lips, biting down on his bottom lip to hold back tears. He shook his head at his reflection, hating everything about it.

He tried to walk away, duck his head and try to move, but he had to look back. He had to place his eyes on that tortured boy stuck in the glass. He could see himself open his mouth, as if he was going to say something, but the words died on his lips. He pressed his lips together, forming a sad smile.

Tony was seconds away from sending his fist flying into the glass, not caring about the injuries he would sustain. He wanted to scream. He felt like if he didn't get something off of his chest then he would explode. He was messing everything up. He put his friends in danger, the only two true friends he ever had. He had put them in danger and they were in danger now. Everything was his fault, he was nothing but a burden to the world. Deaths were on his hands because of the weapons he created. The school had been invaded and students, innocent children, were in danger because of him. He would always be nothing but the billionaire, playboy philanthropist the news had dubbed him so many times.

A knock came at the door, interrupting all of his thoughts. Tony jumped at the loud noise that had broken the silence but he was more than grateful for the distraction. He took a few large steps and threw the door open, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He wasn't sure what he was expecting but his teacher definitely wasn't it.

"Mr. Rogers." Tony stated, sounding as shocked as he could. He wanted to hit himself. He needed to stop being such an open book.

His teacher nodded, sending a shy smile his way. "Hi, Tony."

Tony pursed his lips, nodding awkwardly. "Uh, can I help you, Mr. Rogers?"

Mr. Rogers laughed shortly, humorlessly. "Remember when I told you to call me Steve? I still mean that."

Tony thought it was proper to add one thing. "Steve."

Mr. Rogers - Steve - cracked a crooked smile, one that seemed to be genuine. Tony hadn't seen a genuine smile from his teacher in a long time. He could remember the first time they'd really talked, when he was thrown into his detention. "After the huge... mess at the assembly today, I didn't check and make sure you were okay."

Tony felt a small pang that someone would actually care if he was okay or not. He wanted to argue and yell that it wouldn't matter, no one would remember him if he suddenly disappeared. He kept those thoughts quiet. "I'm okay, thanks for checking on me."

Steve looked over Tony's shoulder, an action that reminded Tony of Peggy. He tried his best to fight down the horrible jealousy in his chest. "Are your parents home?"

Tony shook his head. "No, they're-" Tony had almost blurted out that they were dead. They weren't ever going to be with him again. He swallowed around the ball in his throat. "They're out."

Steve sent a look at Tony, one that went unnoticed by his student. It showed his honest concern for the boy. He'd just gone through a stressful day, guns were pointed at people, and he had no one to come home to. And he was also probably an undercover spy that SHIELD would have to detain. Steve thought himself stupid for having concern for the boy. "Can I come in?"

Tony seemed honestly conflicted, but tried to not let it show. He stepped aside, holding the door open for Steve. Steve took three large steps in, just enough to be in front of Tony. And then his face was too close, his nose brushing against Tony's. His blue eyes seemed to be glued to Tony's lips, making him shiver. Steve backed him up against the door, letting it click shut. Tony found himself lifting his hands, allowing them to sit on Steve's shoulders. Steve's hands were set on his waist, making him feel small.

"Is it okay if I..." Steve trailed off as he saw Tony nod desperately. He leaned down, meeting Tony's eager lips halfway. It was hungry, desperate, and needy. Tony didn't care what was going on. He needed this. This was exactly what he had asked for, something to let off steam. His hands grabbed handful's of the front of Steve's shirt, wrinkling the fabric. He could feel the man's tongue, wet and hot against his lips, intertwine with his. Steve's hands seemed to be desperate, grabbing at his sides, almost as if he were patting him down. Tony didn't care enough to pay it much attention. He pulled back when fingers were slipped under his shirt, cold against his hot stomach. The fingers trailed up, brushing against his bandage, and then they were retracting. Steve pressed his forehead against Tony's, breathing heavy.

"This isn't proper." Steve swallowed thickly, eyes still squeezed shut. "No, we shouldn't do this right now."

Tony sighed, his moment to let off steam was gone. He took his hands back, wishing he could push Steve away. He was nothing but a tease.

"Now," Steve grabbed onto his wrists, holding both of them in one of his hands. "Don't get angry with me. I just want to get to know you, Tony."

Tony nodded, knowing that would never happen.

"Look, I should go... before I'm tempted any further. I'll be back though. I need to talk to you..."

Tony agreed, mumbling a few words before letting the man sneak out the door, staring after him angrily. That was odd but slightly perfect at the same time. He needed more though. Steve had left nothing but hunger in Tony.

Tony pressed his back against the door, clicking shut like it had minutes ago. He was thinking about Steve and what the man was interested in. Perhaps he wanted nothing but just friends with benefits situation. But minus the friend part. Maybe Steve just had a kink about sleeping with a student. Whatever it was, Tony couldn't figure it out. He stepped away, ready to head upstairs and take a cold shower when a crashing sounded. Tony glanced to his left, seeing that windows were being broken as people swarmed in. Tony jumped into action, trying to find a route of escape. His eyes were wide with worry as he grabbed the keys on the table, bile threatening to come up.

He knew he had no time. It was too late.

Tony pushed the men away furiously, eyes watering. He tried to get closer to the door.  The men wrapped their arms around him, making it nearly impossible to move. Tony kicked out, his feet connecting with many shins. He punched out, successfully getting dropped to the ground. Someone threw themselves on top of him, kneeing him right in the wound. The pain from getting his wound agitated nearly made him black out. He threw the person off and fought. A few more punches and he was gone to the world

Rogers walked back into the room, never having left the property, when the noises had stopped.

There was a puddle of blood on the floor, agents leaned against the polished walls trying to regain their composure. No one had been knocked out this time. No, SHIELD was better trained and prepared. Tony lay on his back, his face barely recognizable from all the blood, scratches, and cuts. One of his arms was curled into an uncomfortable position. Rogers realized it had to be broken. The collar of his shirt was nearly soaked in blood, but Rogers noticed that the area near his gunshot wound was bleeding profusely. His shirt was soaking up the crimson liquid quickly, worrying him. Tony could die any second now and all he'd remember would be that he betrayed him.

Two people hurried in, a stretcher in their hands. They placed him on the bed and wheeled him out. Rogers held the door open for all the agents to walk out, glancing across the house sadly before walking out.

-

Tony could feel himself coming back to life before he could see. His eyelids seemed to be glued together, refusing to open. He almost didn't want to face the world after what had just happened. He could remember the moment with extreme clarity. And it hurt. His heart had dropped, all the air seemed to leave his body. He lifted his neck, wincing at the pain. He could tell that his hands were bound behind his back due to the fact that he couldn't move them. His feet were tied down as well. Tony wasn't escaping this one. He opened one eyelid, the light almost too much.

"Hello, Anthony."

Tony chuckled at the formality. He squinted threw the light, seeing blurred figures. One he could tell was Fury, the principle of the school.

"I'm sure you know why you're here." Fury took a step forward to place his hands on the table.

Tony nodded, clearing his throat. He would have to talk for this horrible event and it would be the hardest moment in his life yet.

"Then I suggest you start explaining."

Tony sat back, the bones in his hands grating together. He hissed at the pain, soon realizing the bone was already in a cast. They had done a lot when he was out. He wondered how long he'd been out for but knew it was better not to ask. "Let me start by asking you something. Do you know what it's like to lose everything you've ever had? To lose anyone you've ever been close to?"

Fury slowly shook his head, his expression remaining blank.

Tony continued on. "No. Not like I do." A bolt of pain shot up his side, making him whimper at the sting. "You know who I am then?" Tony smiled crookedly, the familiar mirth shining in his eyes.

Fury shook his head once again. "I was hoping you'd be willing to tell us before we perform tests on you."

Tony chuckled humorlessly, still broken. His wet hair hung in front of his eyes. They must have washed the blood off his face. "Rogers is with you, isn't he?"

Fury's eyes shifted towards the agents behind him. He nodded.

"Odinson and Carter as well?"

Fury nodded, tapping his hand against the table as he took a seat. "Where did you discover this information?"

Tony shrugged. "It's not hard to put things together. He was sent over to my house. I'm sure he was there just to check and make sure I was the guy."

Fury remained motionless.

"Have there been any guesses towards my real identity?" Tony had to ask. He wasn't trying to prolong the moment. He was genuinely curious to see if anyone had discovered him yet.

"Carter had reported that she knew who you were but she fainted right before she was going to tell us. I suspect you had some part in that?"

Tony shook his head no. "Nope. No part. Peggy's smart. I was waiting for her to figure it out. I knew her when she was a kid and her sister Pepper. We haven't seen each other for a long time. Their parents knew mine very well." Tony let sarcasm lace into his tone, a bitter sound that no one could mistake.

"How old are you?" Fury found himself saying.

"Doesn’t matter." He responded shortly.

"You’re young.”

 Tony shrugged, not seeming bothered. "I know there are younger ones out there."

Fury found it hard to talk, to force the reality of these children having to grow up so fast. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you choose this path?"

Tony sat up straighter, eyes turning a stone cold. He couldn't form words, he kept quiet. He kept his glare set on Fury, hoping the man could feel the hate he was drilling into him. He wished looks could kill. The look seemed to have some sort of response because Fury stood up, seeming to give up on Tony. He brushed him off, turning his back to him. The door slid open with a futuristic noise. Fury stepped over the threshold, the others behind him following. The door closed tightly, leaving Tony to his thoughts.

A chill overcame him as a drop of sweat trailed down his spine. The clothes he was put in were too large for him, pooling around his ankles. The shoulder of the pale shirt was slipping off his shoulder. Tony hated the fact that it made him look smaller, more childish. He ducked his head, staring ruefully, pity washing over him, pity for all those he had ever become involved with. Tony’s eyes traces over a loose thread, his thoughts running when the door had slipped open.

“Tony,”

His eyes shot up in surprise at the voice. It was Clint, here standing in front of him with a gun strapped to his thigh. He looked confused, conflicted, but was sure in what he was doing. Tony frowned at the man, nodding at him with wide brown eyes. He could almost see himself with his large, doe eyes staring pathetically back. He hated himself for everything. For being weak, for being alone and ignorant.

“I have to get you out of here.”

Clint was rushing forward, his thick arms working at the restraints around Tony. His eyebrows were knitted closely together as he worked diligently, not taking a second to think how Tony would react. He never thought that perhaps Tony wouldn’t want to go, wouldn’t trust him. Clint was confident in himself which comforted Tony.

The moment the bounds were off his wrists, Tony sprang from the chair, putting his hands up defensively. His eyes were glued to Clint to see if he would make a move, if this was all another trap as everything seemed to be. His pale hair was sticking up on the top of his head, his eyes looked tired. The ocean, lively blue was pale and exhausted. Dark, half-moons were thick under Clint’s eyes.

“Why are you doing this?” Tony bit out, wishing he had a weapon. The shirt was off one shoulder now, the pants threatening to fall off. He felt vulnerable, the most vulnerable he had ever been.

Clint had his hands up, palms outward to calm Tony, as if he were a cornered animal. “I’m Clint Barton, agent of SHIELD. Well, ex-agent. I thought they were the good guys, the ones that helped others. The missions always seemed clear, but not now. I’m here for you, Tony, because you’ve been the only person I’ve found myself trusting in a long time.”

Sighing, Tony let his hands fall to his sides, knowing Clint was the only hope he had. Any chance of getting out wasn’t promising but trying was better then nothing. Nodding his head, Tony stepped forward, motioning towards the door. “How do you suggest we get out of here?”

Clint’s lips quirked up into a familiar smile, relief flooding over them both. He hurried to the door, the hunk of metal sliding open immediately. He checked left and right, gun rose, before stepping out. He took careful, quick steps to the left, knowing Tony was close behind. They were hallways away, avoiding any human contact possible. Three rooms later, the two found themselves in the control room. Frantically, Clint pressed in code after code before smiling contentedly. He took Tony by the hand, running out the door. They went through two more rooms and suddenly they were out. The sky was dark overhead. A few lamps were in the distance. Clint had gotten him out. Clint had saved him.

-

Loki stirred in his sleep, hoping the knocking at his window was imagined. He groaned, rubbing at his itching nose as he came closer to consciousness. He rolled over, his eyes landing on the window. The blind caused a shadow, leaving Loki’s heart fluttering. His breath caught in his throat as he jumped. He stared at the window, waiting for another knock. Instead, his phone lit up beside him with a text from Tony.

_God damn it, Loki. It’s me, open up. I have some explaining to do. TW_

Loki stumbled out of his bed, the blanket tripping him. He thudded against the wood flooring, his elbows clacking uncomfortably with the surface. Rolling his eyes, his temperature rose with irritation. He was glad his parents weren’t home for the night. They’d gone on some sort of vacation, no other explanation then that. He got to his knees, able to reach over to the window and push aside the curtains. He pushed the window up noisily, trying his best to glare at Tony, despite his exhaustion.

“What could you possibly want, Tony? Are you here to kill me?” Loki’s voice dripped with sarcasm and annoyance, his eyes barely opened.

Tony stepped inside the window snickering. He brushed past Loki and sat himself on the bed. Loki wasn’t sure why or who it could be, but a second figure joined in. He forced himself to pay attention and opened his eyes. Clint and Tony stood in his room, both amused at Loki’s appearance.

“Loki, Clint and I need your help. The problem is that you might be missing for a few days… But it’s going to be dangerous.” Tony sent a pointed look, referring specifically to Loki’s hidden talent. Loki hated to admit it but he loved feeling needed. He would agree but not without some questions.

“Why? Where? When?”

Tony smiled guiltily, knowing he had already wrapped him in. He would have rather left Loki out of it but he knew that he needed him. Without Loki, he and Clint would get caught quickly. Loki was a factor that they couldn’t miss. He opened Loki’s closet and began grabbing handfuls of shirts and pants. He helped Loki out of the window and walked him over to the car. He slid into the driver’s side, Clint next to him and Loki sat in the back.

-

Fury strutted into the room, the back of his cloak floating languidly behind him. He took a seat in the room, annoyed at the fact that Peggy was still out. He crossed his arms over his chest and breathed out heavily, looking out across his agents. They stared blankly back, expecting an order, some demand of what to do. Fury could feel the vein in his forehead bulge as he became more perturbed. He wished that just once his agents could make a move without him having to tell them to.

“What are you all staring at?”

Their eyes immediately left him, having no where else but to stare at the tables in front of them. Fury growled to himself, narrowing his eye as he studied them all. He wanted to make them feel scrutinized. His gaze trailed over Banner, having the man squirming in his seat within seconds. He then let his heavy gaze linger on Thor and Steve. They remained motionless, taking their punishment rightfully. Fury had to roll his eye at that. He had to glance at Natasha quickly, see how his Russian agent was acting through all of this. The girl who took shit from nobody was strangely quiet.

“Where’s Barton?” Fury questioned, his heart skipping a beat in anger when he spotted the boy missing. He needed all his god damned agents with him, he made that clear from the very beginning, and Barton, being the rebellious shit he was, left. Fury would definitely set a strict punishment for his poor actions. He sat up straighter in his seat as Natasha prepared an answer.

“Gone.” She responded shortly. Her voice showed no emotion, making a worry set in Fury’s chest.

“Where has he _gone_?” Fury stressed slowly, clenching his hands together. He tried not to grate his teeth together.

Natasha sighed, leaning forward to clack her polished nails against the steel tabletop. “He’s _gone_ , Fury. He isn’t _here_. He isn’t with us anymore.”

Fury could feel something explode within his head, a bolt of pain shooting within every fiber. He wished to scream something, anything, but couldn’t find the words. The vein in his forehead was throbbing, sticking out threateningly. Taking a deep breath, Fury calmed the anger that was burning in the back of his throat so he could speak. “ _What happened?_ ”

Natasha stared coldly back, eyes shining with hatred. “He told me he was going to the damn bathroom. I didn’t think anything of it. But he’s been gone for nearly an hour now. If _you_ would pay a little more attention you might notice how your agents aren’t very happy with SHIELD. And if you’ve been an agent as long as Clint has then you would know that your mind starts telling you that you can’t trust people you once thought you could.”

Fury slammed his fist against the metal surface, knowing right where this was going. He shouted out orders for his men to go to Willhold’s room. He followed them down the hall, his boots heavy sounds echoing through the hall. He threw himself through the doorway, hands on either sides of the room as his eyes fell upon an empty chair.

-

“Tony, where are we going?” Loki’s voice had interrupted the serene silence. He sounded curious, confused, and frightened.

“We’re going to see an old friend of mine. I have to ask her a few questions about the agency I’m a part of. Something’s not right. When the school had been invaded I had called for help but they never came…” Tony trailed off, worry settling heavy in his stomach. He wished he hadn’t eaten that night.

“Look, I know you couldn’t tell me that much before but we’re deeper in this now, Tony. I think I deserve the right to know your name.” Loki responded, sitting straighter up. His face showed anger but Tony saw nothing but concern in his eyes.

Sighing, Tony nodded slowly, glancing at Clint at the corner of his eye. “Right, right. I’m sorry. You guys have been truthful and I’ve remained in the dark. You’re completely right. Loki Laufeyson, Clint Barton, my name is Anthony Stark and it is an absolute pleasure to meet you.” Tony kept his eyes glued to the road, hoping that barrier would be broken now.

Loki let out a little gasp, not sure how to react with that. “Tony _Stark_? What the _hell_ are you doing in this… this _life_? You’re rich, brilliant… no, scratch that, you’re a fucking genius and you’re stuck doing this spy shit?”

Tony nodded slowly, pursing his lips. He glanced out his rearview mirror as a nervous habit, making sure that no vehicles were following him. “Didn’t have much of a choice.”

-

Fury had left the room and hadn’t returned for some time now. Thor couldn’t hold himself anymore, he had to speak. He turned his blue eyes on Bruce, smiling apologetically. He leaned over the vast space between them to pat his shoulder soothingly. “It’s okay, Bruce. Clint didn’t do this to hurt you.”

Bruce’s eyebrows pushed together tightly as confusion swept over him. He turned his chair in Thor’s direction, a faint blush on his cheeks. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”

“You and Clint aren’t…” Thor trailed off when Bruce shook his head no, slowly. Within seconds the man seemed to jump into action, his eyes widening comically.

“No! Jesus, no! I’m not… we’re weren’t… no, never. Agent Barton is too young for that-”

“Clint’s twenty-one. Not that young, Dr. Banner.” Natasha added in, a small smirk gracing her features.

Bruce turned his horrified stare to Natasha, the age not much better. “That is terribly young compared to me! An age gap-”

“Love comes in all shapes and sizes.” Natasha added, turning to face the front of the room with a somber expression. She splayed her hands out flat against the surface, tracing the blue veins that were visible past her pale skin. The corner of her mouth lifted slowly into a smirk as she seemed to remember something. Now that Clint was gone, it wouldn’t matter if she announced it. “He wouldn’t be happy if I told you this, he genuinely had a crush on you, but he’s still a virgin.” She snickered as the word passed her lips.

Bruce was blushing heavier now, coughing into his hand in shock. He definitely wasn’t expecting Natasha to come out with that secret, of all things. He was suddenly desperate for a change of topic when the door flung open. Peggy stumbled in her head in her hand and a blush across her nose.

“Peggy.” Steve hadn’t meant to say that out loud but the name had just fallen from his lips. He couldn’t help it. The woman walked further into the room, smiling apologetically.

“Where’s Fury?” She glanced around the room, frowning when it was evident she wouldn’t be finding the bold man.

“Fury’s out. He’ll be back. Now you must tell us though, who is the kid?” Thor glanced at Steve, noticing a tint of pink to his cheeks. He nudged Steve, knocking the man’s elbow with his own. “Steve’s lover.” Thor snickered but tried his best to hide it when Steve sent him his most deadly glare. He coughed off the awkwardness, waiting for Peggy to respond.

Cradling her head, she let out a groan of pain before forcing the words from her throat. “Anthony…” She paused to take a deep breath, guilt overwhelming her. She knew guilt wasn’t her problem, there was no reason she should feel blame for what was about to happen but that didn’t change anything. “Anthony Stark.”

-

A few hours out of town and Tony was already stopping. Clint desperately tried to argue but there was no chance when Tony had his determined look on. He had no idea what they were doing at such a high end place either. The place was vibrating with loud music and all entrances seemed to be guarded by large, burly men. But at the sound of Tony’s alias, they were allowed into the party.

Clint soon discovered the ‘party’ to be nothing but a loud, boisterous club. Clint found himself worried he and the others would stick out like a sore thumb, they’d be recognized in seconds, when Tony’s hand clamped down on his shoulder. He was pushed backstage with who appeared to be the owners, dancers, servers, makeup artists, and fashion designers. His heart stuttered as nerves kicked in. Tony knew exactly where he was going, leading them up to who appeared to be the head of the show.

“Artemis,” Tony’s voice was barely above a whisper but his tone was friendly. The girl spun around so fast, throwing her arms around Tony, that Clint was caught off guard. He watched from the side, shoulder pressed tightly against Loki’s as the odd exchange happened before them.

“Tony, something’s wrong if you’re here.” Artemis’ gaze trailed over Loki and Clint, distrust showing. Tony quickly pushed that away, introducing them.

“Artemis, this is Clint Barton and Loki Laufeyson. All I can say is you can put your full trust into them.” At that sentence, Artemis’ eyes grew wide, her hand falling out of Tony’s. Her hand lifted, almost limply, to shake hands with the two.

“If you have gained the trust of Anthony then you have mine. What’s wrong?”

Tony jumped into an eager explanation, wanting to get everything out of the way and his plan going. Clint and Loki listened intently, hearing the plan as Artemis did. Every detail was imperative. By the end, Artemis was grinning and nodding.

“We can definitely do this.” She snapped her fingers and two men were at her side. She ordered odd names that Clint barely recognized. She was gathering the clothes that the three would wear out in the club. As Clint and Loki were taken away to be fitted, Artemis took Tony aside to do the job herself. She had to report the problems within the agency as well.

“Tony, you have to know something. I know you’re not going to take this well but-”

Heavy breathing was heard beyond the curtain. The two watched anxiously, not sure who belonged to the shadow in front of them. They stood stiffly, ready to fend off anyone who would attack when Clint and Loki burst through. Loki doubled over, gaining his breath as a bead of sweat ran down his forehead. Artemis sighed, grabbing a cloth and wiping the liquid away as Clint tried to talk.

“They’re here.”

Tony sighed, eyes downcast. He studied the floor pattern, the dark green under his toes. He ran a hand through his hair as he stood to his feet. Artemis watched carefully, waiting for Tony to jump into the plan. “Okay. Do we all remember what we have to do? We’re not running. We’re going to fight.”

-

“Are you sure this is what we should be doing?”

Steve turned around, eyes meeting with Thor’s. He saw all of the doubt, speculation, and… guilt in his closest friend’s eyes. The look on the blonde’s face scared him, drilled into his core. Sighing, Steve made his way into the club, shaking his head. “I’m not sure anymore.”

“Neither am I.” Thor admitted, holding the door open for the woman behind him. Natasha took the glass door carefully but paying the men no attention.

The spread out, immediately splitting the room into three sections to cover. Thor had the middle while Natasha and Steve had the outsides. He made advances to the raised platform that he was sure was supposed to be the stage. There were poles strewn across the stage, girls clinging to the metal as if it were their lifeline. He took a second there, trying to look casual.

The song then changed and the dancer’s walked away, one making contact with Thor. She gave him a devious smile, making sure her backside was turned towards him as she exited. In return, he gave her a wink.

The song progressed into the intro, something Thor recognized as pop. He was sure it was that new artist his students were talking about named Kesha, but a dollar sign as the s. He shook his head, laughing shortly to calm his nerves. He turned around, about to scour the club some more when everyone around him knelt. He watched, confused as everyone moved in unison. A larger group, the majority of the club, watched on as the people around him started to dance to the song.

Hurriedly, Thor stepped out of their group in fear of dragging attention to himself but he was sure it was too late. He was melding back into the group of regulars when a hand landed on his shoulder. He tensed, ready to throw a punch if needed, but Steve’s voice was in his ear. “This was planned… just for us.”

“Trust me,” Thor started, shaking his head at the display. “I’m aware.”

All of the dancers bent down, nearly on their knees as the song hit a low point. Then, as the beat sped up, they all shot upwards, faces now covered in animal masks. It was an odd sight, watching scantily clothed youths dance around to an equally odd song. Some had paint dripping from their fingers, running to the group of people who weren’t involved to draw elegant patterns on their skin.

Everyone was then joining in, integrating the dancers and the non-dancers. Thor and Steve, much to their dismay, stood out like sore thumbs just as they feared they would. The dancers had approached them, slathering paint on their faces, but it was still obvious they had never been to the club before.

-

Clint was dancing as well, eyes wide as he kept watching. He could see Thor and Steve in front of him, looking utterly confused. He had to chuckle to himself as he swayed his hips and rolled his body. He was with a girl he didn’t know but that made it all the more fun. He wanted to dance more, watch their embarrassment for a little while longer but there was a tapping on his shoulder. He could feel all nerves in his body freeze as he realized what he’d missed.

“I thought you’d realize I’d be here but apparently not.”

Clint spun around, a look of hatred on his face for the redhead. “Nat, you are not being funny right now.”

“You know damn well that if you want Tony and Loki to make it anywhere then you have to leave.” Natasha responded, crossing her arms over her chest. There was a small smear of green paint under her bottom lip, making a straight line down her chin, but she must’ve stopped whoever was putting it on. “You go back to Fury equals less attention on them.”

Clint sighed, hanging his head. “Fuck me.”

“I’ll save that for Banner. Let me call it in and then we’ll leave your friends alone.”

Clint sighed, searching the room frantically to catch eye contact with anyone. He swore he saw Loki, hidden behind a long drape. The man was keeping an eye on his fellow spies, not too focused on the clueless SHIELD agents. Clint gave him a curt nod, knowing Loki could see Natasha well. Shamefully, he peeled his eyes away and followed Natasha out the door.

“How much trouble am I in, exactly?”

“A lot. A fucking shit ton.”


	8. No Longer My Enemy

Clint sits down in front of a steel table, hands spread out in front of him. He stares at his perfectly cut nails, afraid to look up at the man who stood in front of him. He loomed over Clint, arms across his chest and mouth set in a firm line. He started to pace after a minute, wanting Clint to look at him before he would speak. It was Fury's stubborn side coming through, but Clint could sit there all day without giving Fury so much as a glance. With a deep breath, Fury slammed his hands down on the steel table. "Just what in the hell did you think you were doing, Barton?"

Clint shrugged, finally looking up at him. He showed no remorse for what he'd done in those shining, blue eyes. He shook his head as if the answer to that question was obvious. "What did you look like I was doing, Fury?"

Fury kept his eyes sharp on Clint as he answered montonously. "It looked like you were betrying SHIELD for a man you met a month ago."

Clint shrugged again, not dignifying that with a response. Fury had truth in what he said but Clint would never be able to explain how Tony is the most trustworthy person he'd met in a while.

"Barton," Fury barked, getting angry at the agents silence. He straightened up, getting out of Clint's face so that he could pace again. His boots clacked heavily against the ugly, gray floor. He put his hands behind his back, the front of his overcoat opening as he did so. Clint could see that underneath he was wearing a black shirt as well. Every piece of clothing Fury owned seemed to be black. In this serious situation, Clint wondered if he'd be in more trouble if he'd switched Fury's eyepatch out for a pink one. He would have snickered in any other situation but this one, keeping a stone face.

"Yes, Commander Fury?" Clint bit out.

Ducking his head, Fury said his next words softly. "I'm beginning to wonder if you were the wrong choice for SHIELD. Please go up to your quarters until I can set a council meeting for you."

Clint's mouth dropped open slightly at the word of the council. His face flushed at the thought of being discharged from SHIELD, but instead of feeling sad or regretful, he felt angry and misunderstood. He shot up from the table, face pinching together in rage. He gave Fury a sour look before rushing to the door. He pushed on the shining steel handle, hearing a crack as it hit against the wall from his momentum. He could see a figure to the left so he glanced over, wishing to start a fight. Instead, he saw Natasha standing in the middle of the hallway, eyes wide and face pale. Clint only scoffed at her before heading off in the other direction.

-

Tony sat at the edge of a circular table. He leaned back against the wooden chair, groaning as he does so. He’s still bruised and beaten although everything is hidden well under the makeup. His shirt is loosened around his neck, giving him room to breathe. More bruises grace the skin here, flowering underneath the shirt and around to his back. Angrily, he launches forward, shaking his head. “I can’t believe he just let them take him like that.” Tony growls out.

Loki rubs at the side of his head, brushing his hair back as he does so. He points towards the front door, looking urgent. “I don’t think he had a choice. But if we’re going to find out what the hell is going on with your ‘agency’ I suggest we get going.” Loki pushes himself up from the table, pushing the chair forward as he does so. It scratches against the floor, emitting a loud, awkward noise that could make anyone cringe.

Tony gets up as well, looking around the empty room. He collects his jacket that hangs low on the back of the share, shrugging it on tenderly to avoid brushing any bruises. He follows after Loki, hand landing on the raven-haired boy’s shoulder to squeeze reassuringly. He gave Loki a small, guilty smile, conveying his thankfulness in that single moment. They almost made it out when a scuttling came from behind them.

“Wait a damn minute!”

The boys turn with minute smiles at Artemis. “What are you up to?” Tony asked as she came closer, smiling down at the short woman.

She gives him a crooked smile as if he should already know the answer to that. She has a pair of more appropriate shoes in her left hand, heels still on her feet. “I’m coming with you, Tony.”

Tony’s smile fell instantly, his hands landing on her shoulders. “The hell you are. You’re staying right here.”

Artemis glared at the man, kicking off her heels as she did so. She dropped her shoes on the ground, slipping into them. “Tony, there’s not much you can do to stop me-”

“Actually, there is a lot. You aren’t coming with. I need you here, to know everything is safe. I need to know that if things are bad that I can come back here and tell you.” Tony pauses, eyes glazing over as he begins to think of all the bad possibilities. Obi’s dark, dead eyes stare past him, his body sprawled on the floor much like his parents had been. She shook his head, clearing his throat to speak louder, stronger. “If we’re ambushed-”

Artemis sighs, shaking her head at Tony. “All right. Okay, I get it. I’ll stay here then.”

Tony tries to give her an apologetic smile but is too glad that she’ll be safe. He grabs her tightly, lifting her off the ground for a moment. “Thanks, Artemis. I’ll be back… hopefully.”

“Stay to eat at least. Real quick, I promise.”

“And if they come back?”

“There’s no way they’re going to recover that quickly. They’ve got a treasonous spy on their hands. He’s a little more important than you at the moment.”

Artemis took a step back, crossing her arms over her chest. Loki was reminded of a mother, his mother specifically. Frigga would stare at him disapprovingly but with a kind smile on her face as if she knew what he was doing was stupid but that he’d be able to learn something from it. It frightened him yet at the same time comforted him, knowing that he could be walking into a giant idiotic trap.

-

Clint sat at another table, this time in front of many other people. All of the people he should have been seeing were away, in other countries so they showed up through their electronic devices instead. If Clint hated anything, he definitely hated having serious conversations to a damn computer screen. He stared forward angrily, refusing to acknowledge the idiotic leaders of SHIELD.

“Agent Barton, Clint. Today we are reviewing Agent Barton over treasonous acts that bring question to his character.” A woman reads aloud these words, making Clint want to spit with the anger and hatred he has for these people. He can’t explain why he would have even agreed to work for them, perhaps because the only stupid people in SHIELD are the leaders. His eyes land on Fury’s back, imagining throwing certain objects at his bald head. “The council has come to the decision to let Agent Barton off the hook, considering he has been a respectable agent so far. Do take warning though, Agent Barton. The next time you will not get such treatment.” The woman ends.

The screens go dark.

Clint looks at Fury, crossing his arms across his chest in a smug way. “Fury, I think it’s best you start listening to me because I’ve got a hell of a lot to say.”

Fury reluctantly turns around, large black boots squeaking against the floor. He gives Clint a look of annoyance and respect. “Continue on Barton.”

“I’ve got a question first. Why is Tony Stark your enemy? If I recall correctly, Howard Stark, his father, was one of your most prized allies. Do you not think it’d be smart to get Stark on our side?” Clint starts talking animatedly, waving his arms around in clear displeasure.

“You are correct, Agent Barton. But after the display Anthony Stark had given at the high school, we’re not sure who to trust anymore-”

Clint cuts in, words bitter and dry. “If I remember that correctly, no one in SHIELD were touched-”

Fury slams his hands down on the table, taking his turn to interrupt. “That is correct Mr. Barton, But it is also a possibility that Stark had created that scenario on his own. I have no idea why but it has been done before.”

Clint shakes his head, “Look. I know Tony, and that’s something that can rarely be said from an agent such as myself. He’s a good man and you’ve fucked up. He has no idea why that happened and… wait, don’t you have some of the men who attacked in your custody?”

“Yes, but the men refuse to talk. We’ve tried almost everything but torture, but that is soon to come.” Fury crosses his hands behind his back, regaining his composure.

“Let me at him.”

-

Clint walks into a barricaded room, the steel doors looming over his head and the walls padded. He’s intimidated by the small, enclosed space but he keeps his face straight as he makes eye contact with the two men from the attack. Steve Rogers and Thor Odinson stand at his sides, arms across their chest in the most common, threatening stance. He wished to do this by himself but Fury insisted that the two agents accompany him in case he decided to let these prisoners loose too.

“Hello, boys.” Clint says cheerfully, a cadence in his voice. He walks up closer, grabbing a chair that was left for him. He swings it around to sit on it backwards, resting his forearms on the back of the chair. “So, how about you tell me what the problem is?”

The two men, bound and bruised, look at him with tight lips, eyes narrowing.

Clint waits, resting his chin on his arms.

“We are not speaking with you or any of your men.” One man speaks up, looking at the three men in the room to prove a point. He spits as he talks, showing how passionate he is about hating them.

Clint shrugs, a cocky and dangerous smile on his face. “Alright then. Thor?”

With a smug smile, Thor comes forward, cracking his knuckles to foreshadow what would come next. Pausing the lengthen the moment, Thor takes his hand up slowly and then down quickly, hitting the man forcefully across the face. There’s aloud crack in the room and the man’s head goes flying backwards. Blood comes trickling out the corner of his mouth.

“It’s going to take a lot more than that to get me to talk.” The man says, spitting the blood on the ground.

Clint gives the man of incredulous belief but laughing. “Oh, no. Thor just wanted to hit you for when you hit him at the pep rally. I just want to know why you’re after Tony Stark, that’s it. And then I’ll let you go.”

The man looks across everyone’s face, seeing a touch of truth in all of the. “To kill him. Obviously.” He spoke with a brittle voice, already shaken around by Thor’s mighty punch. He only shrugs, trying to straighten up as best he can with restraints on his hands and feet. “He’s a threat.”

Clint’s head tilts to the side as he takes that in. He looks considerate, pondering what to say to the attacker next. “Who is he a threat to?”

“My boss.”

“Now why would he, of all people, dislike Tony Stark? Sure, he’s a bit arrogant but he’s a good fighter. Wouldn’t he want to use him to his advantage?” Clint pries, asking useless questions. Thor gives him a questioning look but Steve gives him a warning glance. Thor only looks back at the two men fiercely.

“He wants the company to himself. Why else would Stane want to kill Stark?” The man bites out, looking at the three men in the room. Then, slowly, realization comes across his face. He thrusts against the restraints trying to free himself in panic. “No!”

Clint’s eyes widen, mouth falling open slightly. The man in front of him is having a panic attack but that doesn’t bother Clint at all. He gets up from the chair, walking towards the door. Steve and Thor follow after, shutting the door behind him and blocking out the screams. He puts his back flat against the wall, shaking his head. “Shit, shit, shit. We need to get Tony _now_. Take me back to the club. Something. We need to get him-”

Thor looks at Steve, wondering if what he was seeing was actually happening. Calmly, he put a hand on Clint’s chest to get a clear answer. “What’s going on?”

“We’re idiots. Every single one of us. All of SHIELD. How did we miss it?” Clint shakes his head, looking at the watch on his wrist.

“Clint, you need to tell us what’s going on so we can help.” Steve instructed.

Clint smiled at them both, sadness set within his mouth and eyes. “Obadiah Stane. We’ve missed him all this time and I don’t know how we possibly could have. He’s Tony’s godfather, we should all know that. When we heard news, the death of the Stark’s two years ago, Stane was all over the news. He would run the company until Tony was old enough to do it himself. Well, he’s coming of age now and it’s time to take over… except Stane isn’t going to let that happen. He never was. When the attack at the school happened, Tony pressed a panic button. It was designed to send more agents when something as drastic as that would happen. Except it never worked. Tony’s headed to his headquarters right now because he’s confident something is wrong. Tony’s walking _directly_ into his death.”

Steve and Thor shared a look, panic now written clearly across their face. They burst into a run down the hallway, hurrying after Fury.

-

Tony and Loki wave Artemis goodbye as they make it to their car, rushing inside and starting the engine. The old sports car hums to life, rather loud as they pull out onto the cracked road. Tony’s behind the wheel, sitting back as he tries to calm himself. All he can think about is what could possibly lie ahead. He can’t stop thinking about Obi and all of the other agents there. Artemis made it out in time, she’s retired and can stop worrying about all the shit that comes along with being a spy, but Tony’s stuck and he’s stuck for awhile.

“Tony?” Tony hums in acknowledgement, wondering what’s wrong with Loki. He watches as the other man stares out his window, pointing at the rearview mirror. “Is that normal?”

Tony turns around, gazing over his shoulder at the approaching car. The car comes up quickly and dangerously, only inches from Tony’s back bumper. He curses out loud as the car comes up beside them. He expects the car to pass by, being a group of asshole teenagers (or irresponsible adults) but the car stays steady with them on the long stretch of road. Tony looks forward and back, trying to peer into the dark, tinted windows.

Loki watches nervously. “Tony, I think-”

A gun suddenly pokes out from the windows at them, making Tony stomp on the breaks. His car lurches backwards, out of the line of fire. He pulls up behind the other car, pulling out his own gun from his side. He hands motions towards the glove box. “There’s one in there.” Loki flings the door open, searching frantically. His eyes land on metal hungrily. He grabs the weapon and starts to put his window down. “You a good shot?” Tony says jokingly, remembering their moment at his home.

“I guess we’re about to find out.” Loki adds, leaning out the window. His black hair bellows in the wind behind him, knotting uncomfortably. He pay sit no attention, pointing the gun with his free hand. His other hand holds him onto the ledge of the window, keeping him close so he doesn’t fly out. His eyes narrow as he stares down the sight. The car suddenly swerves just as he’s about to pull the trigger, decreasing speed so it is level with them again. Loki slips back inside just as Tony slams on the gas pedal. He gets far enough to knock his car against their front tire. The car swerves in the grass off the side but gets back on the road. Loki leans back out, now that their car is in front of them again. He wastes no time now, shooting. He heard a loud pop and the car began to swerve. It soon flew off the side of the road, headed straight for a bundle of trees. Loki slips back inside the car.

“Nice fucking shot!” Tony exclaims, smacking his palm against Loki’s in congratulations. “Holy shit, you barely even aimed.”

-

“What the _fuck_ was that?!” Clint’s voice rings out in the large conference room, hand pointed towards the screen that everyone was watching. He was up from his seat, the chair fallen backwards as he must have shot up angrily. “They pointed _guns_ at them!” Clint exclaimed again, eyes scanning the room desperate to find Fury. His eyes landed on Peggy, Steve, Thor, Jane, and then Natasha. She watched him carefully, face blank and open. He could read her from there and scoffed, shaking his head once again. He looked in the other direction, eyes landing on Bruce and Fury. “I told you to let me do this because all of your other agents are completely incompetent!” Clint yelled out.

“Agent Barton, if you’re able to compose yourself than you are allowed to go out and retrieve Mr. Stark and Mr. Laufeyson. You must be accompanied by-”

“All right, I get it. I have to go with the whole fucking crew. Whatever. Lets go.”

A loud phone rang through the room, startling everyone but Clint. His eyes flashed over at Peggy as he waited patiently for her to answer the electronic. She looked apologetic as she glanced at her screen. “It’s Pepper. Excuse me.” She gets up, pressing the screen as she brings it to her hear. “Hello?”

“Peggy, I have no idea who else to call.” Pepper’s voice rings out, loud and clear. Peggy brings her phone back, trying to turn the call off of speaker phone as Pepper continues. “I’ve got Darcy here-”

“Hi!”

Pepper’s voice continues after the girl. “She’s claiming that she’s got two friends, Tony, who she doesn’t know the actual last name of, and Loki Laufeyson who are actually spies and have gone missing.”

Peggy looks out across the room, everyone’s eyes on her as she freezes. Quickly, she melts, words flying out of her at a high speed. “You and Darcy stay right there. Jane and I are coming.”

Pepper’s returning statement is hushed and slightly amused. “What do I do with Darcy until then?”

“Keep her entertained.”

-

Darcy’s brought into the room with Jane and Peggy on both sides of her. Pepper comes in behind her, not shocked to see the group of people around. She takes a seat a little ways down from Steve, paying him no attention. She watches as Peggy brings a chair around for Darcy. She puts the brunette in the chair somewhat roughly.

“What the hell is this?” Darcy exclaims, looking angry as everyone comes closer to listen to her words.

Clint shakes his head, breaking through the group of people to kneel next to Darcy. “Darcy, listen. You’re completely right. Tony and Loki are in extreme danger though and the only way we can save them is if you try and contact them.”

Darcy shrugs, picking her phone out of her pocket. “Why didn’t you just say so?” She presses on the screen rapidly before placing the device up to her ear. Everyone watches in complete silence.

“Tony?” She asks once a muffled hello comes through.

“Put him on speaker.” Clint whispers.

Darcy takes the phone away from her head, pressing a button and holding the phone out. “Tony,” She repeats.

“Darcy? Are you there? Are you okay?” Tony’s voice comes through the other end, muffled and worried.

Clint speaks up now, desperate to get Tony to turn around. He can see Fury motion towards the phone, demanding someone start tracking them. “Tony, I need you to listen to me.”

“Clint? Is that you?” Tony’s voice turns static and starts to break up.

"Yes, it's me. I need you to turn around Tony, come back and we need to discuss some very important things." Clint instructs. He can feel everyone's eyes on him but can't find himself to care. He's desperate to get the two men back to safety and he'll do anything he can to let it happen. He can hear Tony try to respond, tell him that he can't understand what's going on, but there's a loud buzz and the phone call is ended.

Darcy looks at everyone in worry, motioning frantically to the phone. "What does that mean?" No one answers her question, heads bowed as they start ot think the worse. 

"We were unable to gather a location from the cellular device." An agent states as he comes through the door. Fury waves him off, rubbing his chin as he contemplates what to do next. 

"Loki's phone. You need to try Loki's number. I doubt he has a special spy phone like Tony. It's just normal. I was with him when he got it." Darcy fumbles with her phone, fingers shaking as she searches for Loki's name and number. She clicks on his number, displaying it to Clint. He hands it off to the agent, giving minor insturctions. 


End file.
